COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) – A transgender South Carolina teenager has settled a lawsuit challenging the state Department of Motor Vehicles’ policy governing a person’s choice to take a driver’s license photo wearing makeup.
Federal court documents show Chase Culpepper’s lawsuit was settled.
Culpepper, who was born male, regularly wears makeup and androgynous or women’s clothing. After passing a driving test last year, she was told by DMV officials to remove her makeup because of a policy that bans license photos when someone is purposefully altering his or her appearance.
The teen and a New York legal defense group sued, saying Culpepper was humiliated.
In the settlement, the DMV agrees to alter its policy to allow people to wear makeup in photos regardless of their gender. Agency officials declined to comment.
