Transgender women claim mistreatment at W.Va. DMVs

[steve2470]

http://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/article/Transgender-women-claim-mistreatment-at-W-Va-DMVs-5617060.php


In this undated photo provided by the Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund, Kristen Skinner poses for a photo.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — Two transgender women say they were ordered to take off their makeup, jewelry and wigs at West Virginal Division of Motor Vehicles offices or they would not get new driver's license photos.

In the process, they say they were belittled, and called names like "it."

"The manager told the agent I was working with, 'It' needs to remove 'its' makeup and false eyelashes,'" said Kristen Skinner, a Ranson resident.

Skinner, 45, left the Division of Motor Vehicles office in Charles Town in January with a license featuring her new female name and a headshot she says looks nothing like her.


Such horrible treatment. The WVA DMV needs reform, to be sure.

[steve2470]

1. Trudy Kitzmiller here

In this undated photo provided by the Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund, Trudy Kitzmiller poses for a photo. Two transgender women say they were ordered to remove their makeup, jewelry and wigs at West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles offices if they wanted new driver’s license photos. Kitzmiller says employees at offices in Martinsburg belittled her, calling her a genderless “it.” Kristen Skinner described similar treatment in Charles Town.

[steve2470]

2. no comments on this ? nt

[enlightenment]

3. It was on DU some days ago.

That might have something to do with it.

It is a horrific situation, that probably occurs more often than we know. As long as states are allowed to make their own determination of what constitutes gender, and while there continue to be individuals who have the intellectual capacity of rocks and the empathy of sociopaths in charge of state agencies, these situations will continue apace.

WV bases gender on whether an individual is crested or cloven - has a penis or a vagina - so transgender individuals have to complete surgical reassignment before they are legally recognized.

Given that an individual may not choose - or may not be able to afford - surgical reassignment, it is a barrier they cannot surmount. Shameful.