rant about my experience with disability and ID
one problem I have continuously faced as a disabled person that some people might not be aware of is identification. generally speaking a drivers license is the most common and accepted form of ID, at least in Australia. I'm blind which means I cannot drive a car or apply for a driver's license. to solve this my state has a photo identification card, which is identical to the universally recognized drivers license, but red. unlike a driver's license though it is hardly recognized as valid ID even though on paper it should work anywhere a driver's license does.some examples of this causing issues:
I want to vote in an upcoming election (this is mandatory) after moving so I need to register a change of address with the Australian Electoral Commission. the AEC doesn't recognize my government issued photo ID and I need to see a Justice of the Peace (JP) to verify my ID with the AEC.
(a much less harmful one) I'm hanging out with my friends and we're having alcohol and I want to order more drinks. the service for ordering stuff needs ID, recognizes drivers licenses, but not my government issued photo ID. this makes the service impossible for me to use.
I want to apply for a vision impaired travel pass because I'm too blind to drive a car. the application form requires a drivers license or verification from a JP. the travel pass is issued by the same state government department that issues photo IDs but does not accept photo ID in the application. I go to the JP which is only available one afternoon every week and have to wait in line for 45 mins. this is absolutely exhausting and very physically painful because of some other unknown condition I have. when I see the JP she says she's never seen a photo ID, doesn't know what it is and asks to see 2 other ID that I had on me but aren't commonly accepted.
this stuff sucks so much I hate it
the only alternative IDs are a passport which is extremely expensive purely as a form of ID and not commonly accepted, or a birth certificate which is only accepted by some government departments.
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