And by the Way, the DMV Is Finally Obeying the Law...

Sorry I couldn't get to this story earlier. I know, I know, I feel so EPIC FAIL today. Remember when we had to contact the Nevada DMV and ask them to stop their illegal discrimination against transgender persons? Well, it worked!

According to [DMV Field Services Chief Nancy] Wojcik, her agency will now provide transgendered folks with a form, to be filled out and signed by a physician, that states people asking for license changes have been living their lives with their new gender.

No longer, said Wojcik, will any Nevada transsexual have to complete genitalia surgery in order to obtain a new, official gender.

Maggie McLetchie, an attorney with the ACLU of Nevada, is thrilled at the prospect that, this time, DMV seems to have embraced real change.

"The ACLU of Nevada is very pleased to announce that we learned [on May 18] that the DMV is making the changes we requested. 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," she said.

Finally, FINALLY, the DMV is moving to comply with state law and treat transgender Nevadans with the dignity and respect they deserve. And hopefully we'll see the new policy implemented sooner rather than later, so that no one else has to endure the same kinds of horror stories described in last week's CityLife.

Letter to Nevada DMV Director Regarding Driver's Licenses for Transgender Nevadans

(Also at Stonewall)

We had heard enough of these disturbing and very illegal denials of accurate driver's licenses to transgender Nevadans. Here is our letter to Nevada DMV Director Edgar Roberts asking him to stop this wrongful and illegal discrimination. We hope you join us in writing your own letter.

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May 10, 2010
Director Edgar Roberts
Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles
555 Wright Way
Carson City, NV 89711

Dear Mr. Roberts,

It has been brought to our attention that the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is continuing to deny transgender Nevadans the right to change the gender marker on their driver licenses with a letter from a doctor which states that a person’s gender has been changed. This is of great concern to us, and we hope you will end this discriminatory and illegal policy.

This denial of accurate driver’s licenses to transgender persons violates current Nevada Administrative Code 483.070 which states, “A person who wishes to change the gender indicated on his driver’s license, motorcycle driver’s license or identification card must submit proof satisfactory to the department that his gender was changed. The proof must include documentation prepared by a physician or an osteopathic physician indicating that the gender of the person has been changed.”

By denying change of gender marker on driver’s licenses to transgender Nevadans, the DMV is violating state law as well as violating the privacy rights of many thousands of Nevadans. This puts these Nevadans at greater risk for workplace discrimination and increases the risk of anti-transgender hate crimes. Not only is the denial of proper driver’s licenses illegal, but it also jeopardizes public safety and leads to further civil rights violations.

As the Director of the Nevada DMV, Mr. Roberts, you have the authority to ensure your department is abiding by state law and allowing transgender persons to change the gender marker on their driver’s licenses. We urge you to properly use this authority to prevent any further unlawful discrimination against transgender persons here in Nevada by. Please change the DMV’s policy on changing the gender marker on driver’s licenses so it can be in line with Nevada Administrative Code 483.070 and treat transgender Nevadans fairly and with decency.

Thank you.


Sincerely yours,

Derek Washington
Chair

Sandra Eddy
Vice-Chair

Andrew Davey
Secretary & Political Director

Chris Miller
Treasurer

Laura Martin
Communications Director

Karen Grayson
Transgender Outreach Director
Stonewall Democratic Club of Southern Nevada

Once Again, I Told You So.

We get what we pay for.

Closed satellite offices, employee furloughs and other budget-saving measures have nearly doubled the waiting time at the Reno office of the Department of Motor Vehicles, according to statistics provided Tuesday.

Delays have angered residents and caused traffic concerns, officials said, but many customers at the office Tuesday were resigned to the situation. [...]

"The customers that were being served by the express offices now all have to go to the Reno office," Jacobs said. "Common sense says that's what the spike is from."

Since furloughs began July 1, employees essentially have operated with one arm tied behind their backs, Reno office supervisor Gerry Anderson said.

"They work pretty fast. They really do," said Anderson, gesturing to the employees working in the packed office at noon Tuesday. "We just keep plugging along and try to get everyone out as soon as possible."

If we don't invest in a functioning government, we don't get a functioning government. Simple as that. Jimmy "LuvGuv" Gibbons can deny reality and boast about all the cuts he wants to make, but he can't deny that Nevada already has the cheapest and most emaciated state government in the union. And we wonder why those lines at the DMV are so long or why the state library can't even be open five days a week or why the state can't handle all the people filing for unemployment benefits? Again, we get what we pay for... And that's Nevada's problem right now.