>why do they care about your gender anyway? i've heard transgendered
>activists talk about the issue before but never asked at the time.
I wondered that too. I couldn't remember it being required before. I think Jordan found the answer.
This reminded me of a transgendered friend of mine who years after the change was still getting mail sometimes with her old name on it. You could here her muttering under her breath when it happened.
Here's something from The National Center for Transgender Equality:
http://www.transequality.org/Issues/federal_documents.html
ID DOCUMENTS and RECORDS
As the federal government requires the use of identification for more purposes, it is becoming increasingly difficult for many transgender people to access accurate documents. Without the consistent identification that many people take for granted, it can be impossible to travel, open a bank account, or apply for a job. The Bush administration implemented ideologically-driven restrictions for changing ID, making it especially difficult to access passports and social security accounts, which are "gateway" documents that can impact ability to acquire other forms of ID. Also, transgender people are severely impacted, as employers are increasingly required to match employees' personal data with SSA accounts to verify work status. Both strong privacy policies and gender change rules that take into account evolving medical standards are necessary for transgender people to fully participate in society.
* Repeal REAL ID Act. Congress should repeal the REAL ID Act, which, among other things, imposes federal standards for state drivers licenses and state ID cards.
* Passport Policies. The Department of State should update its policy for changing gender designations on passports in accordance with evolving medical standards to eliminate the current requirement for sex reassignment surgery.
* CRBA Policies. The Department of State should update its policy in accordance with evolving medical standards to eliminate the current surgery requirement to change a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA), a birth certificate for U.S. citizens who are born in other countries.
* Federal Building Protocols. The federal government should provide protocols and training for federal building security personnel regarding transgender people and appropriate identification requirements.
* Social Security Policies. The Social Security Administration (SSA) should update its policy for changing gender designations in SSA records that eliminates the current requirement of surgery in accordance with evolving medical standards.
* Voting Rights. The Department of Justice (DOJ) should develop and implement regulations prohibiting poll workers from denying voters their right to vote based on gender expression or a real or perceived inconsistency between appearance and the gender designations on the voter's ID card.
* Model Vital Statistics Act Update. The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) should update the Model Vital Statistics Act to eliminate the surgical requirement for changing the gender designation on birth certificates. Additionally, the discretion of the State Registrars to reject the requested change should be removed from the Model Vital Statistics Act Regulations.