Transgender Rights Battles Heat Up at the DMV in Some States

New laws in Kansas and other states are stoking fights over whether to allow transgender people to change their driver’s licenses and other documents to reflect their gender identities.

For years, states have been changing laws to allow for greater flexibility in gender identification. A majority of states now allow a person to change from male to female or vice versa on a driver’s license or birth certificate at will or with supporting documentation from a medical provider, according to a tally by the Movement Advancement Project, a nonprofit that advocates for LGBTQ rights. Other states require proof of surgery or a court order to make such a change.