Despite being home to the second-largest LGBTQ+ population in the country, Texas has emerged as one of the states with increasingly restrictive laws affecting the rights of the community. In the last two years, The Lone Star state attempted to ban drag performances, adopted an opt-in sex education in schools that does not address consent or gender identity, and passed legislation prohibiting gender-affirming medical care for minors. A new policy change quietly rolled out on the state’s health department website bars transgender persons from updating their birth certificates to align with their gender identity. This immediately follows a change instituted by the public safety office that bars transgender persons from updating their driver’s licenses.
The policy change also impacts Texans who already secured a court order, as they are not permitted to update their birth certificates at this time. Under these legal modifications, changes to birth certificates are only allowed in case of a clerical error or omission. For transgender Texans, the inability to update birth certificates or driver’s licenses can have serious consequences, affecting everything from job applications to accessing healthcare.
The unemployment rate for transgender persons is 14%, double the unemployment rate overall. 44% of transgender persons who are working are underemployed and four times as likely to have a household income of less than $10k. Due to these financial barriers, along with discrimination, stigma, lack of medical provider knowledge, and more, transgender persons experience many obstacles when it comes to healthcare access.
This wave of restrictive laws and policy changes reflects a growing national trend. Texas is not alone in its recent surge of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation. The state now joins five others—Tennessee, Kansas, Oklahoma, North Dakota, and Montana—that have legislative restrictions in place blocking transgender persons from updating their legal documents. These collective legal efforts contribute to the marginalization of transgender individuals and further restrict their rights across the country.
SOURCES
https://www.kut.org/texas/2024-08-21/texas-transgender-trans-drivers-license-change-update-policy
https://www.keranews.org/health-wellness/2024-02-21/health-education-std-texas
https://www.lgbtmap.org/equality-maps/identity_documents/birth_certificate
https://www.texastribune.org/2024/09/03/texas-transgender-birth-certificates