Missouri’s Gender Marker Policy
A Setback for Detransitioners
🛑 As someone actively in detransition, Missouri’s recent change in gender marker policy feels like an unnecessary and thoughtless setback.
Reclaiming my birth name was already a hurdle—navigating a lengthy and expensive court process to legally return to my birth name took seven weeks, cost $200, and required an extra $6 fee because the state is so cheap they don’t even provide an official copy without additional payment. 💸
From that point, one would think aligning my documents with my biological reality would be straightforward after that.
But back in August 2024, Missouri quietly without any public announcement introduced a significant policy change that makes it far more difficult for residents to change the gender marker on their driver’s licenses.
🚧 The Missouri Department of Revenue now requires proof of gender reassignment surgery or a court order to make such a change. This new rule replaced a previously accessible process that required only a signature from a physician, therapist, or social worker.
📄 Armed with my court documentation and unaltered birth certificate, which clearly identifies me as male, I headed to the Department of Revenue to update my driver’s license thinking surely as Im not transitioning I would be an exception to the rule.
Despite presenting everything necessary, my request was denied. ❌ To make matters worse, the woman at the counter asked, “Well, what is your sex?”—a question that felt both intrusive and unnecessary, given the documentation I had already provided. My status should have been self-explanatory.
Instead, I was informed that the only way forward was to present proof of gender reassignment surgery or obtain yet another court order—an absurd and punitive requirement for someone simply trying to have their documentation reflect their biological reality. 🤦♂️ In the end, my only option was to leave with an updated license that still incorrectly marked me as female
.
This experience was demoralizing. 😔 It left me feeling invisible—like the system doesn’t acknowledge detransitioners or the unique challenges we face. Thoughtless policy changes like this don’t just overlook us; they actively create new barriers. Detransitioning is already a slow and emotionally taxing process, involving deep introspection, trauma, and regret. 💔 Adding layers of bureaucratic red tape only magnifies the emotional toll.
Every obstacle feels like yet another roadblock to healing. 🛑 It’s unfair, plain and simple. No one should have to prove they’ve undergone surgery or go through yet another court process just to have their documents reflect the reality they started with in the first place—especially when state-level documentation already confirms it.
❓ The mind boggling part about this is, the change of gender markers on state identification is not explicitly mentioned in state law. The section of Missouri state law that describes driver’s license application forms allows the department to “promulgate rules and regulations necessary to administer and enforce this section,” though they must follow normal rulemaking procedure.1
Based on this information, are they not able to make judgment calls?
⚠️ The deeper issue is the system’s ignorance, inflicts unnecessary distress on those of us navigating such a personal and difficult journey. For a population, who already struggle with mistrust in the system due to past failures, this reinforces that sense.
To me this is ethically and morally irresponsible. Especially when truth around suicide rates in post transition and detransition populations are becoming more and apparent. It leads me to think, how many were due to living with regret in a world that isn’t compassionate enough to affirm them the same damn way people seeking medicalized transition are.
🗣️ It’s time for lawmakers to acknowledge the existence of detransitioners and ensure our needs are part of the conversation. We are a growing and vulnerable group, and our experiences deserve recognition. Policies like this aren’t just a hassle; they’re harmful. 🚨