The Michigan Secretary of State office is making it easier for transgender people to obtain proper state identification, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said today.

The new policy streamlines the procedure for changing the gender designation on a driver’s license or state identification card.

Studies show that nearly 81 percent of the transgender population in Michigan lacks proper identification, according to a press release from the Secretary of State office.

“The transgender community has faced both marginalization and violence without proper identification,” Benson said in a press release. “This change returns to a policy that was in place before the issue was politicized, and that was utilized by both a Republican and Democrat secretary of state.”

Effective immediately, individuals can change the sex designation on their license or ID card by going to a branch office to fill out a form and have their photo taken. There is a $9 correction fee for a driver’s license or $10 for a state ID. People will no longer need to provide a birth certificate, passport or court order to get a corrected identification.

Lilianna Angel Reyes and Jeynce Poindexter, of the Trans Sistas of Color Project, were among those who appeared with Benson at a press conference Monday in Fenton.

Poindexter said proper identification in the transgender community helps fight discrimination and reduces the chances for misunderstandings when interacting with law enforcement, health-care providers and others.

“For us, having a state identification that reflects how we see ourselves reduces trauma and stress when having to show your ID,” Reyes said in the press release. “It validates who we are, especially in a world where people and systems constantly devalue our identity.”