Capitol Alert: 'Genderless' ID cards vetoed by Schwarzenegger

[Butterfly]

Capitol Alert: 'Genderless' ID cards vetoed by Schwarzenegger
By Jim Sanders
23 September, 2010


http://www.fresnobee.com/2010/09/23/2090204/capitol-alert-genderless-id-cards.html


Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed legislation today that would have allowed counties to issue official identification cards that did not identify either the owner's address or gender.

Assemblyman Tom Ammiano, D-San Francisco, had proposed the measure as a way to assist undocumented immigrants who lack adequate documentation to qualify for a state-issued ID card, and to help transgender individuals who feel uncomfortable having a gender listed.

[spacial]

Schwarzenegger, who vetoed similar legislation last year, said in his veto message that until the federal government "adopts comprehensive immigration reform, it is inappropriate to move forward with state law in this area."

Shame really.

Can't comment of the other two points, but there is no reason a person's gender should be specificed on these documents.

[Fencesitter]

Shame really.

Can't comment of the other two points, but there is no reason a person's gender should be specificed on these documents.

Aren't there international agreements between countries what has to be displayed on an ID card and what not?

[spacial]

Don't really know, we don't have ID cards here in the UK.

I think that passports may have. I've seen a number of different national passports. All have had the sex on them. Though, equally, this may simply be convention.

It just seems such an irrelevant piece of information that contributes nothing to the purpose.

[justmeinoz]

ID cards?  I thought the USA was a free country, not one where a document was more important and believable than a person. 

[Fencesitter]

Okay I got that wrong. Guess it's right, the international regulations are for passports, not ID cards.

[Vicky]

ID cards?  I thought the USA was a free country, not one where a document was more important and believable than a person.

Un fortunately in some ways, I do live here in the US, and in Lord Schwarzenegger's little kingdom.  The land of the free may be the ideal, but its much closer to being the land of the "fee", and they will collect the fees everywhere and every chance those ID cards would have cost money payable to the issuers.  Laird Arnold would not have vetoed the thing if it had brought in enough fees to get his hip pockets out of doo doo, but news hype aside, it seemed to him that he could get the fees elsewhere.  Since I work for the darn state, I actually need 4 ID's just to get into my own office, my drivers license to get to the train station.  A buliding pass to get into the Los Angeles State Office Building, and another to get into my own office suite.  (A key works on the office door).  If I leave the office on state business, I need the fourth identification badge to show the member of the public that I need to work with.  For some items, I will also need to see the citizens own ID to be sure I am not disclosing confidential information to the wrong one of them.  So much for the great American Myth.  (I have no intention of moving soon, so yes I am free to gripe about my lack of freedom)    I will be able to get an official non-drivers license ID card with my femme picture and Initials only without much trouble, but it will have a gender marker of male.  It works wwith my cretit cards. Sigh!!

[Silver]

Eh that sucks.

I'd actually be more in favor of making the process of changing the gender marker more easily (ex. only requiring consistent m/f presentation.) But the androgynes, what will the androgynes do?

[Lepidoptera]

Eh that sucks.

I'd actually be more in favor of making the process of changing the gender marker more easily (ex. only requiring consistent m/f presentation.) But the androgynes, what will the androgynes do?

Be grumpy and get "ma'am"ed and "sir"ed inappropriately. Same as I always do.