
CONTACTAbout UsCAREER OPPORTUNITIESADVERTISE WITH USPRIVACY POLICYPRIVACY PREFERENCESTERMS OF USELEGAL NOTICE
© 2025 Equal Entertainment LLC.
All Rights reserved
All Rights reserved
By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
We need your help
Your support makes The Advocate's original LGBTQ+ reporting possible. Become a member today to help us continue this work.
Your support makes The Advocate's original LGBTQ+ reporting possible. Become a member today to help us continue this work.
When gay Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jose Antonio Vargas came out in The New York Times Magazine in June as an undocumented immigrant, he knew the repercussions could come swiftly.
"The moment I decided to do this," Vargas said, "I had to be prepared for anything and everything that can happen -- whatever those things may be."
Turns out Washington State officials were quick on the draw. According to The Huffington Post, the state has canceled his driver's license.
Officials opened an investigation after Vargas's essay was published, Department of Licensing spokeswoman Christine Anthony said. "We conducted in an investigation and concluded that he wasn't residing at the address he provided us," she said.
The Licensing Department sent Vargas a letter requesting proof of residency, says HuffPo, and when the letter was returned unread, the state canceled his license Monday.
In the Times Magazine, Vargas wrote about the anxiety over his driver's license: "Early this year, just two weeks before my 30th birthday, I won a small reprieve: I obtained a driver's license in the state of Washington. The license is valid until 2016. This offered me five more years of acceptable identification -- but also five more years of fear, of lying to people I respect and institutions that trusted me, of running away from who I am."
deliciousdiane
From our Sponsors
Most Popular
Watch Now: Pride Today
Latest Stories
Donald Trump threatens to revoke Rosie O'Donnell's citizenship — but he can't
July 12 2025 6:04 PM
Ahead of deadly Texas floods, so many warnings from climate scientists were missed
July 12 2025 7:00 AM
Louisiana Medicaid quietly stops reimbursing patients for gender-affirming care
July 11 2025 3:35 PM
Harvard seemingly caves to Trump, shuts down LGBTQ+ and women's center websites
July 11 2025 3:08 PM
11 lesbian & sapphic reality dating shows & where to watch them
July 11 2025 12:49 PM
Yes, Superman is an immigrant. He's also a gay icon.
July 11 2025 12:31 PM
15 best LGBTQ-friendly all-inclusive resorts for honeymoons
July 11 2025 12:29 PM
Trump's DOJ subpoenas doctors and medical clinics that care for transgender youth
July 11 2025 9:36 AM
True
After trans people, Trump now erases bisexual people from Stonewall National Monument
July 10 2025 10:45 PM
Black trans woman Dream Johnson killed in Washington, D.C.
July 10 2025 7:59 PM
Trending stories
Recommended Stories for You
Diane Anderson-Minshall
Diane Anderson-Minshall is the CEO of Pride Media, and editorial director of The Advocate, Out, and Plus magazine. She's the winner of numerous awards from GLAAD, the NLGJA, WPA, and was named to Folio's Top Women in Media list. She and her co-pilot of 30 years, transgender journalist Jacob Anderson-Minshall penned several books including Queerly Beloved: A Love Across Genders.
Diane Anderson-Minshall is the CEO of Pride Media, and editorial director of The Advocate, Out, and Plus magazine. She's the winner of numerous awards from GLAAD, the NLGJA, WPA, and was named to Folio's Top Women in Media list. She and her co-pilot of 30 years, transgender journalist Jacob Anderson-Minshall penned several books including Queerly Beloved: A Love Across Genders.