• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy

Towleroad Gay News

Gay Blog Towleroad: More than gay news | gay men

  • Travel
  • Sports
  • Law/Justice
  • Celebrities
  • Republicans
  • Madonna
  • Books
  • Men
  • Trans Rights
  • Royals
  • Monkeypox
  • Unearthed: Late Lisa Marie Presley Blames Scientology For Michael Jackson Divorce — ‘They Made Sure That I Left Him’
  • Lawsuit to take aim at Utah law banning transition care for minors
  • U.S. court rejects J&J bankruptcy strategy for tens of thousands of talc lawsuits

Trans Teen’s Lawsuit Prompts South Carolina DMV to Change Driver’s License Photo Policy

Anthony Costello April 24, 2015

Screen Shot 2015-04-24 at 8.11.04 AM

A transgender teen who filed a federal lawsuit last September against South Carolina’s Department of Motor Vehicles for sex discrimination and violating free speech won her case reports NPR.org. Chase Culpepper, 17, filed the suit after DMV officials told her to remove her mascara and eye shadow before taking her driver’s license photo, arguing with her that her cosmetics was a "disguise."

Screen Shot 2015-04-24 at 8.14.20 AMThe department claimed that a 2009 rule prohibits applicants from "purposely altering his or her appearance so that the photo would misrepresent his or her identity." Culpepper filed a lawsuit in response to the Spring 2014 incident calling the policy "unconstitutionally vague and overbroad" and arguing it allowed DMV officials to make "arbitrary and capricious" decisions based on the department’s personal biases regarding gender presentation.

The Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund, a New York-based group backing Culpepper, helped reach a settlement in the case, with South Carolina’s DMV agreeing to change its policy to allow applicants to be photographed as they are regardless of officials’ expectations of what they think applicants should look like. The department also promised Culpepper an apology letter and intends on training employees on how to treat transgender and gender non-conforming individuals. Culpepper announced she is pleased with the results of the settlement.

Said Culpepper:

"I am thrilled with the outcome of my lawsuit. My clothing and makeup reflect who I am. From day one, all I wanted was to get a driver's license that looks like me. Now I will be able to do that. It was hurtful to be singled out for being transgender and made to feel that somehow I wasn’t good enough."

The new department policies go into effect in May; Culpepper intends on taking her new driver’s license photo then with her makeup on. Since Culpepper’s win, the Transgender Defense and Education Fund received several similar requests for legal representation and support after the news of Culpepper’s successful case spread reports The Los Angeles Times. The advocacy group is currently in negotiations with West Virginia’s DMV after three transgender women reported that the department ordered the women to remove wigs and fake eyelashes before having their driver’s license photos taken.

 

Topics: Education, LGBT Rights, Trans Rights More Posts About: gay rights, Gay youth, Law - Gay, LGBT, LGBT Rights, south carolina, Transgender, West Virginia, West Virginia

Related Posts
  • North Dakota Republican floats fining transgender people $1,500 if they use ‘wrong’ pronouns
  • Rainbow signs to be replaced in N.J. middle school
  • Meta’s oversight board calls for more inclusive adult nudity policy
  • Lawsuit to take aim at Utah law banning transition care for minors

    Lawsuit to take aim at Utah law banning transition care for minors

    Published by Reuters By Brad Brooks (Reuters) – The legal director of a leading LGBTQ advocacy group on Monday said he is preparing a lawsuit to ask courts to block a new Utah law that prohibits …Read More »
  • U.S. court rejects J&J bankruptcy strategy for tens of thousands of talc lawsuits

    U.S. court rejects J&J bankruptcy strategy for tens of thousands of talc lawsuits

    Published by Reuters By Tom Hals, Mike Spector and Dan Levine (Reuters) -A U.S. appeals court upended Johnson & Johnson’s attempt to offload into bankruptcy tens of thousands of lawsuits over its talc products, ruling the …Read More »
  • Michael Jackson’s Son Prince ‘Couldn’t Be Happier’ His Cousin Is Playing The Famed Singer In Upcoming Biopic

    Michael Jackson’s Son Prince ‘Couldn’t Be Happier’ His Cousin Is Playing The Famed Singer In Upcoming Biopic

    Published by OK Magazine @jaafarjackson/instagram-jourdynn Jackson;mega Jaafar Jackson will represent his uncle’s honor in the upcoming biopic, Michael. The thrilling film — directed by Antoine Fuqua and produced by Oscar winner Graham Kingwill — will portray …Read More »
  • Judge blocks New Jersey ban on guns at beaches, casinos

    Judge blocks New Jersey ban on guns at beaches, casinos

    Published by Reuters By Brendan Pierson (Reuters) – A federal judge on Monday blocked New Jersey’s recently enacted bans on carrying guns at beaches or casinos, though she left in place other restrictions passed by the …Read More »
Previous Post: « Broadway Cares Cancels Fundraiser at NYC Club 42West Over Owners’ Intimate Reception with Ted Cruz
Next Post: Towleroad Guide to the Tube #1730 »

Primary Sidebar

Adjacent News

  • Principal orders librarian to take down Holocaust survivor’s famous quote

    Principal orders librarian to take down Holocaust survivor’s famous quote

  • Former FBI official warns of right-wing violence akin to ‘violent Islamic jihad’

    Former FBI official warns of right-wing violence akin to ‘violent Islamic jihad’

  • Editorial: The right’s meltdown over M&Ms reveals more than just a chocolatey center

    Editorial: The right’s meltdown over M&Ms reveals more than just a chocolatey center

Good Trash: Going to Read It Somewhere, Y'know

  • Stormy Daniels takes victory lap after Trump pens tirade about her on Truth Social

    Stormy Daniels takes victory lap after Trump pens tirade about her on Truth Social

  • ‘He Was Consumed With Sadness’: Lisa Marie Presley ‘Destroyed’ Ex-Husband Michael Jackson With Shock Divorce Filing

    ‘He Was Consumed With Sadness’: Lisa Marie Presley ‘Destroyed’ Ex-Husband Michael Jackson With Shock Divorce Filing

  • Jane Fonda ‘worried’ about Barbarella remake

    Jane Fonda ‘worried’ about Barbarella remake

RSS Partner Links

  • Rhiannon Ally and DeMarco Morgan May Replace Amy Robach And T.J. Holmes On “GMA3” And It’s Causing Drama
  • Every Superman Movie & TV Show, Ranked
  • Nia Long Tells Drew Barrymore That She Wasn’t Selected For The “Charlie’s Angels” Movie Because She Looked “Too Old” And “Too Sophisticated”
  • Morning Man Classic: James Franciscus!
  • Hot Killers + Rugby Vet: I'M GAY + Santos Quits Committees — What's Next? + NeNe's Son Teases Homosexuality, Homosexuals + Reminder That Paris Hilton Sucks + MORE! — 12-PACK
  • OMG send it back: Alan Cumming returns Order of the British Empire
  • Marvel's 'Agatha: Coven of Chaos' TV Series - 12 Big Stars Joining & Returning to Cast!

Most Recent

  • Unearthed: Late Lisa Marie Presley Blames Scientology For Michael Jackson Divorce — ‘They Made Sure That I Left Him’

    Unearthed: Late Lisa Marie Presley Blames Scientology For Michael Jackson Divorce — ‘They Made Sure That I Left Him’

  • Lawsuit to take aim at Utah law banning transition care for minors

    Lawsuit to take aim at Utah law banning transition care for minors

  • U.S. court rejects J&J bankruptcy strategy for tens of thousands of talc lawsuits

    U.S. court rejects J&J bankruptcy strategy for tens of thousands of talc lawsuits

  • Michael Jackson’s Son Prince ‘Couldn’t Be Happier’ His Cousin Is Playing The Famed Singer In Upcoming Biopic

    Michael Jackson’s Son Prince ‘Couldn’t Be Happier’ His Cousin Is Playing The Famed Singer In Upcoming Biopic

  • Judge blocks New Jersey ban on guns at beaches, casinos

    Judge blocks New Jersey ban on guns at beaches, casinos

  • Florida pastor clashes with DeSantis over Black history courses and vows to host them in his church

    Florida pastor clashes with DeSantis over Black history courses and vows to host them in his church

  • ‘What’s The Big Deal?’: Ex-‘RHOA’ Star NeNe Leakes Says Son Brent Told Her He’s Not Gay After Viral TikTok Challenge

    ‘What’s The Big Deal?’: Ex-‘RHOA’ Star NeNe Leakes Says Son Brent Told Her He’s Not Gay After Viral TikTok Challenge

  • Rock Hudson’s Double Life: Arranged Marriage & Secret Male Lovers — How His Inner Circle Attempted To Keep His Gay Scandal Buried

    Rock Hudson’s Double Life: Arranged Marriage & Secret Male Lovers — How His Inner Circle Attempted To Keep His Gay Scandal Buried

Most Commented

Social

Twitter @tlrd | Facebook | Instagram @tlrd

Footer

Copyright © 2023 · Log in

×