SCOTT SIMON, HOST:
This week in Kansas, hundreds of people have gotten official letters saying their driver's licenses are no longer valid. They are transgender Kansans who have changed their gender designation in the past. A new law just took effect there. Other states have passed similar laws recently, but in Kansas, there's been no time to adjust. We're joined now by Zane Irwin from member station KCUR in Kansas City. Zane, thank you for being with us.
ZANE IRWIN, BYLINE: Thanks for having me.
SIMON: So this began Thursday with reports surfacing around the state. What happened?
IRWIN: Yeah. There were some transgender residents, including a state lawmaker, actually, who were posting on social media that they'd gotten these letters from the state Department of Revenue. Now, the agency gave me one. And it says that the recipient's license is invalid immediately because there was no grace period written into this law. Two transgender Kansans sued yesterday with the help of the American Civil Liberties Union. They're arguing that the law violates the right to due process because trans people have had no time to comply before they could face penalties. And they say it discriminates by sex, violating the state constitution. There are a few other states, like Texas, Tennessee and Florida, that have similar laws that ban people from changing those gender markers in the future. But advocates for trans people say the Kansas law is unique because it revokes current licenses.
SIMON: And what do you hear from people who were affected by this?
IRWIN: Yeah. People who have changed the gender marker are worried about being pulled over on the way to getting their new driver's license. They're stressed. Matthew Neumann is a transgender man in central Kansas. He leads a statewide LGBTQ mutual aid organization. You know, he's got a long beard, a bald head, and now, whenever he applies for a job or gets pulled over by police, his ID is going to out him as transgender, whether he likes it or not.
MATTHEW NEUMANN: That safety has been stripped because we have more of a target on our back, and people are feeling that.
IRWIN: Neumann was still waiting to get his letter when I talked with him. The state Department of Revenue said on Thursday that it had sent about 300 notices, but the law also invalidates birth certificates that have had the gender marker changed, which could affect more than 1,800 people. So there may be more letters coming.
SIMON: Zane, there was a lot of support for this bill. Lawmakers had enough votes to override the governor's veto. What do supporters of the measure say?
IRWIN: Yeah. I mean, overwhelming Republican majorities supported this bill. Republican state Representative Bob Lewis says it matters for first responders in emergencies.
BOB LEWIS: It's very important that they know the person's biological sex, and if the person can't speak to them, they have to rely on the driver's license.
IRWIN: The American Medical Association, in general, says it supports people's right to reflect their gender identity on their driver's license. The law also includes this really restrictive version of a bathroom law that - kind of which that have been around for years. This law allows private citizens to sue trans people for using the restroom that aligns with their gender identity. Advocates say that opens the door to harassment and discrimination.
SIMON: Zane, you've mentioned other states. Help us understand the context for all of this.
IRWIN: Yeah. I mean, Republicans, from President Trump on down, have used these issues, like trans athletes competing in sports, also, to try and convince people to vote against Democrats. But after years of this, Democrats are accusing Republicans of trying to distract people from other issues.
SIMON: Zane Irwin in Kansas City, Missouri. Thanks so much.
IRWIN: Thank you.
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