Associated Press Published

Transgender Women Claim Mistreatment at W.Va. DMVs

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 Two transgender women say they were ordered to remove their makeup, jewelry and wigs at West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles offices if they wanted new driver’s license photos.

Trudy Kitzmiller says employees at offices in Martinsburg belittled her, calling her a genderless “it.” Kristen Skinner described similar treatment in Charles Town.

The Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund last month wrote state transportation officials to ask for new photos for the women. The letter said denying them a new photo would violate constitutional free speech rights.

Motor Vehicles acting chief Steven Dale says wearing makeup as a man could qualify as trying to conceal or disguise one’s identity.