Indiana AG Todd Rokita has been compiling a list of his state’s trans people. Following in Kansas’ footsteps, he’s quietly laying the groundwork to declare their IDs “falsified records.”
Thank you for covering this so thoroughly. Do you have a list of any more states that confirmed/did not deny that they have a list of trans people who changed their docs?
My investigation was preliminary, but to my knowledge, only Kansas and Indiana have had this ability. Maybe some other blue states do as well, though I doubt they'd use it given how insane the idea is.
i (unfortunately) live in Indiana but i wasn’t born here - curious to know if they can revoke my Indiana license (which i did change the gender marker on last year) even though my birth certificate is from another state and has been updated to correctly reflect my gender identity. that seems like nebulous legal territory.
I'm glad I came across this story. After seeing what bills came through the IN senate and house go inactive for the session, I think now I know why. I will keep watching this for my Trans brothers and sisters, and I won't give up without a fight. Todd Rokita was an ass, even when he wasn't AG here. I may have to leave, and good riddance if so.
Thank you for this information. I am livid due to the cruelty and disregard for human life from States who are taking this action. Planning to contact local, state, and federal agencies and get involved in any organization that supports the LGBTQ community to combat this.
Thanks for reporting on this. Is there any indication of how far back (in years) they have been collecting/flagging folks who have changed their birth certificates? I don’t want to post personal details but this affects me directly so I’m curious. This is such good reporting and thank you so much for keeping us informed and pushing so hard to uncover this info.
My understanding is that the state has this data going back at least as far as when birth certificate gender changes were explicitly allowed, which was in 2014. So it's more than a decade. I'm really sorry you have to worry about this, but I'm glad I was able to uncover this beforehand.
Thanks for reporting on these updates! At a trans potluck yesterday, me and other folks were discussing these updates & wondering how/when Tennessee (where we live) may follow suit. Anyone have info on Tennessee’s republicans’ progress?
Oh I can answer that easily: Tennessee isn’t concerning itself with making a list because it doesn’t need to. It’s the only state where birth certificate amendments were never allowed (banned since 1977!!!) and IDs are required to match birth certificates (since 2023). Any person’s ID that was changed prior to this will just be reverted when they renew.
Several years ago, I changed my name and have the X symbol on my IN driver's license and passport, and changed my birth certificate to what my county allowed, non-binary. I knew full well that I was taking some huge risks, but I did it anyways because I'm proud of who and what I am, and all of the legal hurdles I have had to move through for recognition.
In Jan 2025, I said that my line in the sand for fleeing to a friend's farm in another state (and leaving my spouse and pets behind for a while) would be them coming for my identity documents. They can pry them out of my cold dead hands.
But now I don't think I'll be able to hold fast to that. I lost my meager disability pay in October. Our 2nd car died at the end of last year, and so we're sharing one. Spouse got laid off last month and I just started a new job last week on the other side of my city. I'm on lifesaving medication that would require a doc licensed in the other state to prescribe it. I can't practically have a go-bag and get on a bus, and upending everything and moving the family to a safer state is prohibitively expensive, despite well-meaning folks telling trans people that those things will save us.
And trapped is exactly the place that Rokita wants us to be in. God, fuck that dude and the hard-on he's had for years thinking about all the ways he can make us disappear. Jokes on him though, he can't erase us even if he does snatch our IDs. We'll still be here, fucko.
Thank you for covering this so thoroughly. Do you have a list of any more states that confirmed/did not deny that they have a list of trans people who changed their docs?
My investigation was preliminary, but to my knowledge, only Kansas and Indiana have had this ability. Maybe some other blue states do as well, though I doubt they'd use it given how insane the idea is.
Wasn't Missouri to pass something like this or was theirs a bathroom policy?
This makes me so mad. What can we do if we don't live in these states to stop this craziness before it gets further?
I know it's a pipe dream at the moment, but I really hope that one day we have a national transgender data protection law.
Why make it specific to trans people, when you can make it apply to everyone? Some kind of general data protection regulation...
Hi all, my name is Chloe Andis and I'm a trans woman running for Indiana State Senate to prevent exactly this kind of legislature being passed.
My incumbent opponent, Liz Brown, authored SB 182 that generally tried to declare sex and gender as the same terms - it did not pass.
These identity politics have no place in Indiana and it has been clear time and again that most voters do. not. care.
We will continue to fight against AG Todd Rokita and do what is necessary for all Hoosiers, including our trans community.
i (unfortunately) live in Indiana but i wasn’t born here - curious to know if they can revoke my Indiana license (which i did change the gender marker on last year) even though my birth certificate is from another state and has been updated to correctly reflect my gender identity. that seems like nebulous legal territory.
Here we go. Didn't take long for the second state to follow Kansas. I better try to warn Sabrina. She won't be safe in South Bend.
I'm glad I came across this story. After seeing what bills came through the IN senate and house go inactive for the session, I think now I know why. I will keep watching this for my Trans brothers and sisters, and I won't give up without a fight. Todd Rokita was an ass, even when he wasn't AG here. I may have to leave, and good riddance if so.
This is horrific.
Thank you for this information. I am livid due to the cruelty and disregard for human life from States who are taking this action. Planning to contact local, state, and federal agencies and get involved in any organization that supports the LGBTQ community to combat this.
Thanks for reporting on this. Is there any indication of how far back (in years) they have been collecting/flagging folks who have changed their birth certificates? I don’t want to post personal details but this affects me directly so I’m curious. This is such good reporting and thank you so much for keeping us informed and pushing so hard to uncover this info.
My understanding is that the state has this data going back at least as far as when birth certificate gender changes were explicitly allowed, which was in 2014. So it's more than a decade. I'm really sorry you have to worry about this, but I'm glad I was able to uncover this beforehand.
Wow… well that’s pretty disturbing. I’m so tired of all of this. But I really am so thankful for your work.
:(
Brilliant and critical reporting!! We need a list of every state’s risk assessment when it comes to this alarming trend
Thanks for reporting on these updates! At a trans potluck yesterday, me and other folks were discussing these updates & wondering how/when Tennessee (where we live) may follow suit. Anyone have info on Tennessee’s republicans’ progress?
Oh I can answer that easily: Tennessee isn’t concerning itself with making a list because it doesn’t need to. It’s the only state where birth certificate amendments were never allowed (banned since 1977!!!) and IDs are required to match birth certificates (since 2023). Any person’s ID that was changed prior to this will just be reverted when they renew.
I live in a hostile state and I don't really know what I am going to do when it comes to getting any documents updated.
I really kind of don't want to start the trouble of beginning that process because I know the state will refuse the request.
Why? That's the biggest problem in that state? He's going to get a good review by taking People's identity away? Red States are worthless.
Several years ago, I changed my name and have the X symbol on my IN driver's license and passport, and changed my birth certificate to what my county allowed, non-binary. I knew full well that I was taking some huge risks, but I did it anyways because I'm proud of who and what I am, and all of the legal hurdles I have had to move through for recognition.
In Jan 2025, I said that my line in the sand for fleeing to a friend's farm in another state (and leaving my spouse and pets behind for a while) would be them coming for my identity documents. They can pry them out of my cold dead hands.
But now I don't think I'll be able to hold fast to that. I lost my meager disability pay in October. Our 2nd car died at the end of last year, and so we're sharing one. Spouse got laid off last month and I just started a new job last week on the other side of my city. I'm on lifesaving medication that would require a doc licensed in the other state to prescribe it. I can't practically have a go-bag and get on a bus, and upending everything and moving the family to a safer state is prohibitively expensive, despite well-meaning folks telling trans people that those things will save us.
And trapped is exactly the place that Rokita wants us to be in. God, fuck that dude and the hard-on he's had for years thinking about all the ways he can make us disappear. Jokes on him though, he can't erase us even if he does snatch our IDs. We'll still be here, fucko.