Resource: F.V. v. Jeppesen (formerly F.V. v. Barron, F.V. v. Armstrong)

Lambda Legal filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Idaho on behalf of two transgender women, F.V., currently a resident of Hawai`i identified only by her initials, and Dani Martin, who lives in Idaho. The lawsuit argued that denying transgender Idahoans the ability to obtain accurate birth certificates discriminates against them and invades their privacy, liberty, and freedom from compelled speech under the U.S. Constitution. For example, after F.V. displayed her birth certificate at a social security office, the employee referred to her as a “tranny,” and someone who overheard the comment called her a “faggot.” Ms. Martin similarly had to argue with an Idaho DMV employee that she was a woman, and entitled to be treated as such, despite the fact that her birth certificate failed to reflect her gender identity. The Court ruled that the current birth certificate policy unconstitutionally discriminates against transgender people.