I apologize this has taken me so long to post but I have a good excuse — it came in the day I went into labor (more on that later). Still, this is good news and worth sharing (via Jane, thanks Jane!).

For Immediate Release

Contact Jane Heenan
VegasCounselor@aol.com
702/810.4159
or
Maggie McLetchie
Mcletchie@aclunv.org
702/366.1226

Nevada’s Department of Motor Vehicles has changed the procedure for allowing persons to change the gender marker on their driver licenses.  The new procedure requires persons to have a licensed physician fill out Form DLD-136 (http://www.dmvnv.com/pdfforms/dld136.pdf) and to submit this form to a DMV office for processing.  This procedure replaces the DMV’s former policy that required persons to submit documentation proving completion of genital surgery before receiving a driver license with a changed gender marker.  DMV made this change in consultation with ACLU of Nevada, Equality Nevada, and other progressive advocacy groups and queer community members and allies.

ACLU Interim Director Maggie McLetchie praised the DMV response.  “The ACLU of Nevada is very pleased to announce that the DMV is making the changes we requested,” McLetchie said.  “We understand that while the changes will not go into place immediately because they need to finalize the materials, the DMV is committed to instituting a humane policy that allows people whose gender has changed to get drivers’ licenses that reflect their identity and enable them to avoid harassment and discrimination.”

Advocates, community members, and allies cheered the decision, which was announced on May 18, 2010.  “I hope the momentum from this recent victory with the DMV carries through into the legislative session” said Jude Cox, legal adviser to Equality Nevada, “and translates into a successful bill that will provide employment anti-discrimination protections to the transgender community.”

Cox was referencing the fact that legal protections for Nevada’s transgender citizens in basic areas such as employment, public accommodations, and housing do not exist, leaving tens of thousands of persons at risk of discrimination.  While legislation was introduced in the 2009 legislative session which would have ended employment discrimination against transgender persons, the bill (AB184) died in an Assembly committee.  Efforts to introduce similar legislation in the 2011 legislature are underway.  Working with the Nevada DMV to change the procedure for changing the gender marker on driver licenses was one part of these efforts.

The DMV’s former procedure was inconsistently applied and led to allegations of mistreatment by some of Nevada’s transgender and genderqueer citizens (see the recent City Life article at http://www.lasvegascitylife.com/articles/2010/05/20/news/local_news/iq_35956977.txt).