Susan's Place Transgender Resources

Community Conversation => Transsexual talk => Post operative life => Topic started by: TreeFlower on November 07, 2007, 09:07:58 AM

Title: Was it oversight or prejudice
Post by: TreeFlower on November 07, 2007, 09:07:58 AM
    A couple of months ago I mailed in my drivers license name and gender change form to the Pennsylvania DMV. I included the court order for the name change and the letter from my GRS dr.  They changed my name but not my gender. I wonder if it was oversight or prejudice.  *sigh*  Looks like I'll have to do this in person.

    I went to the DMV last Saturday.  It was super crowded and took me almost two hours. I expected grumpy employees who were ready to give me a hard time.  The wait was annoying but they were super nice and I had absolutely no problems.  Once I was waited on it took about two minutes to change the gender designation.  Then I had to go to the photo section.  That took about 5 minutes.  Most of the wait there was for the picture to develop.

    Acceptance by the mainstream has been my experience. But, I wonder how much of that is because I'm face to face with the person.  I wonder if my gender change on the drivers license form was overlooked or if someone thought "I don't think so" and pretended to miss it.  If I wasn't able to pass would I have experienced a problem?

    I'm going to go hug my license again now  :p


Title: Re: Was it oversight or prejudice
Post by: Berliegh on November 07, 2007, 11:14:55 AM
Quote from: TreeFlower on November 07, 2007, 09:07:58 AM
    A couple of months ago I mailed in my drivers license name and gender change form to the Pennsylvania DMV. I included the court order for the name change and the letter from my GRS dr.  They changed my name but not my gender. I wonder if it was oversight or prejudice.  *sigh*  Looks like I'll have to do this in person.

    I went to the DMV last Saturday.  It was super crowded and took me almost two hours. I expected grumpy employees who were ready to give me a hard time.  The wait was annoying but they were super nice and I had absolutely no problems.  Once I was waited on it took about two minutes to change the gender designation.  Then I had to go to the photo section.  That took about 5 minutes.  Most of the wait there was for the picture to develop.

    Acceptance by the mainstream has been my experience. But, I wonder how much of that is because I'm face to face with the person.  I wonder if my gender change on the drivers license form was overlooked or if someone thought "I don't think so" and pretended to miss it.  If I wasn't able to pass would I have experienced a problem?

    I'm going to go hug my license again now  :p




No, I think it's paranoia........
Title: Re: Was it oversight or prejudice
Post by: Stormy on November 07, 2007, 02:12:08 PM
It's entirely possible that the person handling your license issue simply didn't know or think to change the marker.  Ignorance is
much more common than prejudice.

Stormy
Title: Re: Was it oversight or prejudice
Post by: SocalledLife on November 07, 2007, 02:32:57 PM
They still use real photos (as opposed to digital) on the drivers lisence in PA?

Plus 1 on the oversight, it took the DMV here three times to get my DL right after moving, I ended up going to do it in person and was then hastled about not being the person pictured on the computer.  In the end, they wern't rude about it, just a little bit dense.

DANA
Title: Re: Was it oversight or prejudice
Post by: Hazumu on November 07, 2007, 07:55:46 PM
Quote from: Stormy on November 07, 2007, 02:12:08 PM
It's entirely possible that the person handling your license issue simply didn't know or think to change the marker.  Ignorance is
much more common than prejudice.

Stormy

That reminds me of a quote:

"Never attribute to malice what can be explained by stupidity."

Karen
Title: Re: Was it oversight or prejudice
Post by: Pica Pica on November 07, 2007, 08:09:40 PM
"And don't apply to stupidity what can be attributed to not giving a damn one way or another."