Norton, Frost Introduce Bill to Remove Gender Designation Requirement from REAL ID Act During Pride Month

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, at the start of Pride Month, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) introduced a bill to remove the requirement from the REAL ID Act that compliant licenses include a gender designation. The bill instead would leave the decision to the states, and, if a state chooses to require a gender designation, a person would be able to change the designation by self-attestation. It would also require states that include gender on their REAL ID-compliant licenses to have a neutral or other designation gender field, in addition to male or female.

"This is an important bill for equality, especially for transgender Americans living under the Trump Administration," Norton said. "Under the REAL ID Act, gender must be included on a license. This can be problematic for transgender or nonbinary individuals. I recognize that some LGBTQ individuals do not want gender designations on licenses at all, while others do want gender designations so they can express their identity. This bill strikes the middle ground, while showing Congress' support for LGBTQ people. Thank you to Rep. Frost for joining me in leading this important bill."

"As the LGBTQ+ community faces daily attacks on their identity and very existence from the Trump Administration and conservative led states, I am proud to stand with Congresswoman Norton to ensure that transgender and nonbinary folks can have licenses that reflect their true selves," said Frost. "This bill is about showing support and solidarity with a community that has already overcome so much to live openly. Making it law that an ID will not become another barrier for our LGBTQ+ neighbors is the very least we can do."

Norton's introductory statement follows.

Statement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton on

the Introduction of the REAL ID Gender Requirement Reform Act

June 2, 2025

Today, I introduce the REAL ID Gender Requirement Reform Act, which would repeal the requirement in the REAL ID Act that REAL ID-compliant licenses include gender. Instead, states would decide whether to include gender on their respective REAL-ID compliant licenses. I am pleased Representative Maxwell Frost is co-leading this bill.

Under this bill, if a state includes gender on its REAL ID-compliant licenses, the state must allow individuals to change the gender designation on their license through self-attestation. It would also require states that include gender on their REAL ID-compliant licenses to have a neutral or other designation gender field, in addition to male or female.

Under the REAL ID Act, gender must be included on a license. This can be problematic for transgender and nonbinary individuals. I recognize that some LGBTQ+ individuals do not want gender designations on licenses at all, while others do want gender designation so as to express their identity. I believe this bill strikes the middle ground, while showing Congress' support for LGBTQ+ individuals.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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