I need to renew my California driver's license and am thinking about getting a Real ID. Has anyone here obtained a CA Real ID in the last MONTH or so? I'd like to know whether to expect any challenge to my gender marker. I have had an M on my DL for the past fifteen years or so, and I want to keep it that way.

I think I'm okay because don't find anything on the CA DMV site that indicates I'll have any problems, and Real ID is not strictly federal (unlike passports, which are now birth sex only). But I'd rather have some real experiences to go on.

CT has a nonbinary option with 71 electing it in 2021 and 771 in 2024.
I've not heard of any issues yet though the Administration is now going after CT's "sanctuary cities."

I read a fairly recent article that indicates CA is still maintaining its options. I have not seen any recent reports from actual applicants.

However, I did finally dig into the Real ID documentation requirements. I'm screwed for now because my passport expired and I never got my birth certificate changed. I obviously won't renew my passport under the current regime, and I have had my reasons for not updating my BC. Now I think I have to do the BC anyway, but my birth state is conservative, and the process will take months, money, and CA courts before I even get that far. If I start in June, perhaps I can get a Real ID around the end of the year. With any luck, my birth state will comply and CA will keep resisting any pressure from DC.

Quote from: Arch on May 31, 2025, 04:06:23 AMI need to renew my California driver's license and am thinking about getting a Real ID. Has anyone here obtained a CA Real ID in the last MONTH or so? I'd like to know whether to expect any challenge to my gender marker. I have had an M on my DL for the past fifteen years or so, and I want to keep it that way.

I think I'm okay because don't find anything on the CA DMV site that indicates I'll have any problems, and Real ID is not strictly federal (unlike passports, which are now birth sex only). But I'd rather have some real experiences to go on.

@Arch

Arch!

As it so happens... I got my CA Real ID a month ago... I had zero issues but, I was using a current passport  as one of my forms of ID... I had my BC changed when I first changed name and gender but, didn't need it with the passport.

From what I read online... even without BC or passport... You may be okay... I had seen this:

https://www.kcra.com/article/california-dmv-trump-executive-order-gender-real-id/63608792

Before I applied and it made me feel more at ease about the process... sounds like your gender marker wishes for Real ID should be honored even without BC/Passport in agreement. Especially given your DL has had an M for 15 years... you aren't even changing anything!

I submitted everything online and made an appointment... I was in and out of the DMV in about 30 minutes

Fingers Crossed

Ashley 💕

Thanks for the link, Ashley. I keep seeing stuff about the "X" gender marker's staying intact, so I assume that my "M" will stay intact.

After I finish grading for spring, I plan to start the ball rolling on a court-ordered name and gender change so I can change the BC so I can get a Real ID . . . seems like a lot of trouble and expense, especially since my birth state will only "affix an amendment card" and not even change the bloody BC. That's why I swore up and down that I wouldn't go to the trouble. Well, I held out for fifteen years, anyway.

Unfortunately, I will have to seek legal help because I have no idea how to fill out a form to change what has already been changed. I can't very well put down my birth name as my current name, for example. Well, I'll sort it out with any luck.

Real ID is issued by the States. Check your state to see what they are doing right now with regards to women who have changed their name.  Many have done this when they got married.

Passports are issued by the Federal Government.
As per executive order genders are being changed on Passports because they can research the records and change them back.

In Connecticut they will put down whatever you request on this form, M, F, or X.
https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/DMV/20/29/B-385.pdf
In accommodating a gender change, the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles makes no representation
that the gender selected for the applicant's credential will be recognized or accepted by another government
agency or non-government entity, particularly if it does not match the gender that appears on the applicant's
non-DMV identity document(s) (e.g. birth certificate, passport, social security card).

Remember, States Rights in civics class?