Texas bans transgender individuals from changing the gender on their IDs

Texas recently banned transgender people from changing the sex on their identity document (ID) and on their driving license.

The measure, which went into effect Tuesday, will prevent Texans from changing the gender on their licenses unless it is to correct a clerical error, Sheri Gipson, head of the state Department of Public Safety's Driver License Division confirmed to local broadcaster KUT.

A decision that comes after the Texas Attorney General's Office, Ken Paxton, raised concerns about "the validity" of sex-change court orders.

"The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) has recently raised concerns regarding the validity of court orders being issued which purport to order state agencies — including DPS — to change the sex of individuals in government records, including driver licenses and birth certificates."Unsigned statement from the Texas Department of Public Safety.

In addition, the state organization asserted that they had no role in issuing the court orders and therefore must comply with the order from the attorney general's office.

"Neither DPS nor other government agencies are parties to the proceedings that result in the issuance of these court orders, and the lack of legislative authority and evidentiary standards for the Courts to issue these orders has resulted in the need for a comprehensive legal review by DPS and the OAG," the institution stated through its release.

The measure has not taken long to take effect. Until Wednesday, the Texas Department of Public Safety website featured a brief section detailing how to apply for a sex change in the identity document. From that day on and, until now, that information is no longer available on its website.

Transgender associations have been quick to criticize the ban. Equality Texas said in a statement published on the social network X that the measure is a "blatant denial of trans Texans’ dignity and privacy.":

Words with which agreed the LGBT+ policy and advocacy strategist for the ACLU of Texas, Ash Hall. The expert assured NBC News that banning trans people from changing their sex "jeopardizes trans people's health and safety."

"This relentless targeting of transgender Texans is yet another alarming attack on our privacy, safety, and dignity. Trans people deserve to live free from persecution in Texas and everywhere else."Ash Hall, policy and advocacy strategist for LGBT+ rights at the ACLU of Texas.

Texas is not the only state that banned transgender people from changing the sex on their identification documents. The measure was previously passed in other places such as Florida and Kansas which also vetoed gender changes on driver's licenses for their trans residents.