Charges dropped against KS trans woman... for ‘invalid’ male license

[Jessica_Rose ✅]

Charges dropped against Kansas trans woman threatened with jail for 'invalid' male license

https://www.thepinknews.com/2026/06/24/kansas-trans-drivers-license/ 🔗

Poppy-Jay St. Palmer (24 June 2026)

On 5 May, trans Kansas resident Kris Ripper said she was pulled over by a police officer while driving home in the rain, as the sunny weather had caused her car's headlights to turn off.

She said that the officer "spent like 10 minutes" questioning her about whether her license was real. "I explained to him that I am a transgender woman," Ripper said. "It has to say 'M' legally."

She continued: "He just awkwardly gave it back to me and sent me on my way with a verbal warning."

However, this week Ripper received a notice informing her that she had failed to appear in county court for an arraignment after being charged for operating a motor vehicle without a valid license.

The charge is a class B misdemeanour and could result in six months in jail, a fine of up to $1,000 and a permanent criminal record. She was also informed that if she didn't appear in jail within 30 days, her license would be revoked.

Transistics News has since confirmed that the charges against Ripper have been dismissed by the county prosecutor as of 23 June, but Ripper's struggle is just one of the many that have and will be faced by transgender Kansans as a result of SB 244.

[Devlyn ✅]

She said that the officer "spent like 10 minutes" questioning her about whether her license was real. "I explained to him that I am a transgender woman," Ripper said. "It has to say 'M' legally."

She continued: "He just awkwardly gave it back to me and sent me on my way with a verbal warning."

Similar experience, back in 2021 I was traveling from Antwerp to the UK. You go through border control leaving France, and 40 feet later you go through border control entering the UK. I hand the officer my passport and Biometrics Residency Permit (a UK government issued required document). He looks at the BRP and says "What's this?".

I tell him it's my residency permit.
"I need to call my supervisor."
A minute later the supervisor shows up.
 
Looks at me.
Looks at the passport.
Looks at me.
Looks at the BRP.
Looks at me.
Looks at the passport.
Looks at the BRP.
Looks at me.
"I guess it's okay."
They stamp my passport and wave me through.

I'll point out again that the BRP is government issued and a requirement for me to enter. One branch of government has no idea what the others are doing.