Kansas goddamn.
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Don't get it twisted this attack on trans people in Kansas (how did they identify the people they sent those letters to? They have a list, the monsters.) is a trial, a test. Let them get away with it they will move on to the next smallest group they feel they could target without public backlash.
That is how this works.
@futurebird I was wondering this too yesterday: how did they know to whom to send these letters? I suppose they have a record if you changed your license gender marker, but this seems broader than that. Creepy.
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The general public is mad at the ruling class, mad at the powerful and wealthy -- I think some of these people lean into this kind of thing in hopes that it will quell the cries for retribution.
There are other forces at work, but very cynically it is clear that the right is desperately looking for anyone who can take the blame for the gross decadence and inequality.
If they weren't doing this their only political activity would be defending rich MFers from higher taxes.
@futurebird @Anke As they always have. It's the immigrants, it's the gays, it's the freethinkers, it's the heretics…
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@futurebird Thank you for the fire today. #kansasgoddamn
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The GOVERNMENT will tell you (yes you) how to be your gender correctly.
That's all this is. It's bullshit.
@futurebird In reality: The government shouldn't tell you what color the sky is, nevertheless "how to be your gender...." We have eyes, and and a brain.... Geez.
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@futurebird Personally I blame Chucky Heston in 'Planet of the Apes' for all of this.
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@futurebird They could never have read Pierre Boulle's novel if it had stayed a book!!!
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@futurebird It's heartbreaking and mind numbing.
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I'm also very curious if any cis people got the letter by mistake. It seems likely.
Nearly all of the people who have been harassed in public over restrooms rules tend to be cis women who look a little butch or like a bowtie or something.
This isn't a flaw it's a feature. Because part of the purpose is to make a gender dress and behavior code for adults.
No men shall wear pink or nail polish. No women shall have whiskers on their chin or leave the house without a layer of foundation.
@futurebird This right here. I know so many people who are going to be harrassed because their physical appearance represents them differently than their sexual identity. It could easily turn into absolute mayhem and violent assaults.
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I'm also very curious if any cis people got the letter by mistake. It seems likely.
Nearly all of the people who have been harassed in public over restrooms rules tend to be cis women who look a little butch or like a bowtie or something.
This isn't a flaw it's a feature. Because part of the purpose is to make a gender dress and behavior code for adults.
No men shall wear pink or nail polish. No women shall have whiskers on their chin or leave the house without a layer of foundation.
@futurebird my best guess, the list is compiled from historical records of which Kansas residents have gotten the gender marker changed on their ID.
Monstrous regardless.
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@futurebird @Anke As they always have. It's the immigrants, it's the gays, it's the freethinkers, it's the heretics…
"Its the predatory financiers and their friends... wait no only some of their friends!"
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The GOVERNMENT will tell you (yes you) how to be your gender correctly.
That's all this is. It's bullshit.
@futurebird Yes, from reading that letter, they want to use state power to punish anyone who steps out of their assigned place.
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It's kind of obvious that what the Republican Kansas legislator would like to do is make being LGBT illegal. I find it somewhat promising that they have done something technical, creepy, and obnoxious instead. But they are pushing that boundary in the most obvious ways.
They are still too scared to do what they really want. The public ought to be disgusted.
I am.
@futurebird I want to ask bigots to read the science on the prenatal brain development that fixes gender identity & sexual orientation. But I'm also afraid they'll decide to order amniocentesis for every pregnant woman & try to "correct" intrauterine hormones to some cis template.
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I'm also very curious if any cis people got the letter by mistake. It seems likely.
Nearly all of the people who have been harassed in public over restrooms rules tend to be cis women who look a little butch or like a bowtie or something.
This isn't a flaw it's a feature. Because part of the purpose is to make a gender dress and behavior code for adults.
No men shall wear pink or nail polish. No women shall have whiskers on their chin or leave the house without a layer of foundation.
@futurebird whether or not cis people got sent the letter, they sure as hell will be pulled over in 'random' traffic stops by especially hostile cops. women will get this worst, of course. and don't be surprised is cops start intentionally targeting cis women they want to to trap in a less public space
cops already get away with literal murder on the basis of them having 'suspicions' about someone. you know what will happen if they're given more things to get 'suspicious' about
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I'm also very curious if any cis people got the letter by mistake. It seems likely.
Nearly all of the people who have been harassed in public over restrooms rules tend to be cis women who look a little butch or like a bowtie or something.
This isn't a flaw it's a feature. Because part of the purpose is to make a gender dress and behavior code for adults.
No men shall wear pink or nail polish. No women shall have whiskers on their chin or leave the house without a layer of foundation.
@futurebird Sounds like a return to colonial times with rigid gender norms.
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Don't get it twisted this attack on trans people in Kansas (how did they identify the people they sent those letters to? They have a list, the monsters.) is a trial, a test. Let them get away with it they will move on to the next smallest group they feel they could target without public backlash.
That is how this works.
@futurebird easy to identify... database query... compare driver's license application and renewal records for any with a change to 'sex'. the addresses and such are all on file with the d.m.v. easy peasy.
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@futurebird my best guess, the list is compiled from historical records of which Kansas residents have gotten the gender marker changed on their ID.
Monstrous regardless.
There are people who are cis who have had the gender marker changed on their IDs to correct administrative errors.
They have gotten caught up in the current anti-trans moral panic too.
From Arizona last year: https://www.abc15.com/news/local-news/investigations/birth-certificate-controversy-keeps-mesa-14-year-old-off-boys-basketball-team
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@futurebird I was wondering this too yesterday: how did they know to whom to send these letters? I suppose they have a record if you changed your license gender marker, but this seems broader than that. Creepy.
No, that's correct (I'm a KS resident)--the DMV records show which licenses previously had the gender info changed, same for the birth certificate data with another agency.
The KS Supreme Court had previously ruled that changing one's gender on gov records had to be allowed, and this new law apparently does what's required to legally ban it again. While several other states also ban this, KS is the first state to claw back previously issued DLs and birth certificates.
BTW They sent the letters out on the 23rd and the law took effect immediately on the 26th with no grace period to allow people to comply, so they now do not have a valid driver's license.
Driving without a valid license carries a fine and possible jail time. There is no doubt they deliberately wanted to punish trans people who had changed their DL, by making it impossible to drive legally until they get a new DL, which takes time to process.
(paywalled but can be bypassed by going into Reader view): https://www2.ljworld.com/news/state-region/2026/feb/23/thousands-of-kansas-drivers-licenses-birth-certificates-set-to-become-invalid-this-week-as-new-transgender-law-takes-effect/
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No, that's correct (I'm a KS resident)--the DMV records show which licenses previously had the gender info changed, same for the birth certificate data with another agency.
The KS Supreme Court had previously ruled that changing one's gender on gov records had to be allowed, and this new law apparently does what's required to legally ban it again. While several other states also ban this, KS is the first state to claw back previously issued DLs and birth certificates.
BTW They sent the letters out on the 23rd and the law took effect immediately on the 26th with no grace period to allow people to comply, so they now do not have a valid driver's license.
Driving without a valid license carries a fine and possible jail time. There is no doubt they deliberately wanted to punish trans people who had changed their DL, by making it impossible to drive legally until they get a new DL, which takes time to process.
(paywalled but can be bypassed by going into Reader view): https://www2.ljworld.com/news/state-region/2026/feb/23/thousands-of-kansas-drivers-licenses-birth-certificates-set-to-become-invalid-this-week-as-new-transgender-law-takes-effect/
@leadore @futurebird Lea do you think they also scooped up transfolk from other states who had valid ID and who had earlier move into KS? Or is this totally a matter of what can be seen in KS govt. records?
Really shitty thing to do. Serves only to endanger people.
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Don't get it twisted this attack on trans people in Kansas (how did they identify the people they sent those letters to? They have a list, the monsters.) is a trial, a test. Let them get away with it they will move on to the next smallest group they feel they could target without public backlash.
That is how this works.
@futurebird We should not miss the fact that one of the forces driving this (there is more than one) is religious fundamentalism. I grew up in that world and I recognize it when I see it. The strong campaign against all LGBTQ rights in a place like Uganda was created and pushed along by American fundamentalists. They tried their insidious agenda elsewhere first, before bringing it home. If you want to know what's in store, look to a place like Uganda.
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@leadore @futurebird Lea do you think they also scooped up transfolk from other states who had valid ID and who had earlier move into KS? Or is this totally a matter of what can be seen in KS govt. records?
Really shitty thing to do. Serves only to endanger people.
Since they don't have authority over what other states do or what other state's licenses show, this should only be relevant to KS licenses and KS government records. At least I haven't heard or read anything indicating otherwise.
BUT another thing to be aware of is that this bill also bans anyone from using a bathroom marked as for other than one's gender assigned at birth. IMO this is just as bad if not worse. I expect bad things to happen because there are always those people out there who want to make bad things happen.
I was actually surprised to learn that the bill was going to invalidate documents because it was always called "the bathroom bill" and all I ever read or heard about it was about the bathroom aspect of it. I don't think I ever once heard anything about driver's licenses and birth certificates being invalidated.
It's all about taking away trans rights and women's rights and implementing christian nationalism.
