In a recent development in Tennessee, the ACLU has gone to the courts to challenge a state policy that is affecting transgender residents. According to the ACLU of Tennessee, the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security (TDSHS) has been denying accurate driver's licenses and other identification documents to transgender individuals. This legal petition, filed by the ACLU alongside Holland & Associates PC, seeks to assert the safety and dignity of transgender Tennesseans.
"All people deserve the freedom to live their lives safely and with dignity," ACLU-TN senior staff attorney Lucas Cameron-Vaughn said. "Our clients need accurate identification documents in order to travel for work and family, to vote, and to engage in everyday life like everyone else." The refusal to provide such identification is argued as being not only unfair and unjust but also a direct violation of lawful rights. The case, known as Doe et al. v. Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security et al., represents individuals like "Jane Doe," a plaintiff whose real name has been protected due to safety concerns.
The legal strife began on April 23, 2024, when the initial case was filed. The plaintiffs' plight is not a trivial matter; they have faced increased risks of discrimination, harassment, and violence due to the state's stance. Furthermore, another plaintiff, Chrissy Miller, joined the case after being coerced into potentially surrendering her legally updated driver's license, succumbing to pressure from TDSHS, which was only halted by an intervention from the judiciary.
In the fall of 2024, a court directed the TDSHS to scrutinize its policy. The agency upheld its rule denying accurate identification after a January 2025 hearing. Plaintiffs requested that the enforcement of this rule be halted during legal proceedings. However, TDSHS did not acquiesce, leading to the most recent court filing.
