South Carolina teen who was forced to remove his makeup for license photo sues DMV

The family of a South Carolina teenager who was ordered to remove his makeup before taking a driver’s license photo earlier this year has filed a federal lawsuit against the state Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), court records reveal.

16-year-old Chase Culpepper, who identifies as male but wears makeup and women’s clothing on a regular basis, was ordered to remove his makeup by DMV officials when he tried to obtain his driver’s license in March. The DMV argued that Chase was, in effect, attempting to disguise his appearance by not appearing as a male.

The suit, which was filed by the teenager’s mother – Teresa Culpepper- on his behalf in federal court yesterday (September 2), contends that the DMV’s policies are unconstitutional and calls for a court order to allow Chase to dress how he wants for a future photo.