Central Arkansas Pride Rally to Oppose DFA’s Identity Document Policies

March 26, 2024 - Steps of the Arkansas State Capitol 
 

Central Arkansas Pride will hold a rally on Tuesday, March 26th to demonstrate against the new Identity Document policies mandated by Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders and the Department of Finance and Administration on March 12th, 2024.  The rally will be held on March 26th, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on the steps of the Arkansas State Capitol. Join us at the rally and let's demonstrate the the strength and unity of our rich and vibrant LGBTQIA+ community.  

Central Arkansas Pride vigorously opposes the mandated changes to gender markers on the Arkansas State ID.   The proposed mandates eliminate the gender-neutral marker “X” and now require an individual to have an updated birth certificate reflecting their gender before issuing a gender marker change onto their Arkansas State ID.

Arkansas has the sixth-largest per capita population of transgender people in the country.  These mandated changes threaten the safety, mental health, and social well-being of transgender, non-binary, and intersex people.  Additionally, the mandated changes will prevent transgender people from obtaining identity documents before a sex reassignment surgery, which is required before obtaining a new birth certificate that reflects a gender change.  

Transgender Arkansans could be subjected to unwarranted questions about their gender as their state-issued identification will not reflect their authentic self requiring them to continually out and explain themself. They could also see increased scrutiny when traveling, securing employment, opening bank accounts, enrolling in educational programs, and visiting an establishment that requires age verification.  

Central Arkansas Pride seeks to unite the LGBTQIA+ community across Arkansas to rally against the new mandates that could bring significant harm to members of our community.  We strongly encourage Governor Huckabee Sanders and the Department of Finance and Administration to reconsider the changes to eliminating the Gender Marker “X” and requiring a birth certificate to update the gender marker on a state-issued ID.  Dolores Wilk, Executive Director of Central Arkansas Pride emphasizes that “limiting the freedoms of transgender, non-binary, and intersex Arkansans is not an American value.  We must stand firmly against these policies.”

The rally will feature a rich line-up of speakers from across the Arkansas LGBTQIA+ community including: 

• Central Arkansas Pride

• Little Rock Black Pride

• Strilite Foundation

• Arkansas Black Gay Men’s Forum

• State Legislators

• Local Community Leaders

Rally Details:

Location:  Arkansas State Capitol, 500 Woodlane St. Little Rock, AR

Date:  March 26, 2024

Timeline:     4:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. - Assemble and Gather with Music
4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. - Speaker
5:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. - Open Mic 
6:00 p.m. to 6:05 p.m. - Closing

Central Arkansas Pride is a 501(c)(3)non-profit organization and volunteer-based group that has been building a welcoming community for LGBTQIA+ Arkansans for more than 12 years.  We come together to celebrate the history and culture of Arkansas’s LGBTQIA+ community through Pride events and programming that inspire, strengthen, and unite.   

Visit us at https://www.arpride.org for more information or to make a donation to support our mission!  Follow us on Facebook & Instagram to stay up to date on our latest activities, events, and programs.