Kansas Law Forces 41-Year-Old Trans Woman to Surrender License for 'M' Marker
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Aug 13
Kansas Law Forces 41-Year-Old Trans Woman to Surrender License for 'M' Marker
1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Aug 13
Summary
Feb. 25 letters from the Kansas Division of Vehicles told hundreds of residents their licenses would become invalid the next day under Senate Bill 244 if the gender marker did not match sex assigned at birth.
Siobhan Kirchstein, 41, complied after concluding that driving on an invalid license could bring fines, five days in jail and, after repeated violations, up to three months behind bars.
At a Division of Vehicles office, Kirchstein turned in the license she had updated after her 2023 transition and was issued a temporary paper credential marked "M," leaving her in tears.
The case highlights how SB 244 reversed prior legal changes that had already required court and federal paperwork, broadening concern among transgender Kansans about enforcement and safety.