An Atlanta woman who claimed her religion required her to take her driver's license photo with a colander on her head has been told by the state Department of Driver Services that she must retake the photo.
Ann Zhang, who identifies as a Pastafarian — a tongue-in-cheek group that values science as religion — successfully took the picture with a colander as a hat for her temporary driver’s license.
But in a letter dated Feb. 18 that Zhang received Wednesday, the department’s general counsel told her that a new photograph would have to be taken. While state rules allow someone to wear a veil, scarf or headdress, “a colander is not a veil, scarf or headdress,” the letter said.
“Identification cards or driver’s licenses issued by our agency are used for official identification purposes and contain information and depictions necessary for government function,” the letter said. “The photographs are used as identification credentials and biometric identifiers. Identification cards or driver’s licenses are not issued by DDS as a means for personal expression.”
The three-paragraph letter does not mention Pastafarianism, though a December letter sent to Gwinnett resident Chris Avino, who had also taken a picture with a colander on his head said, "Pastafarianism is not a religion. Rather it is a philosophy that mocks religion."
"Our research shows that 'Pastafarianism' was first referenced in a letter to the Kansas State Board of Education in 2005 after the board mandated the teaching of creationism in the form of 'intelligent design,' the December letter to Avino said. "DDS does not view satire or mockery of a religion as a religion."
Avino has since moved out of state. On his new Nevada driver's license, he sports a colander.
A spokeswoman for the DDS said she had no further comment about the letter, and was not aware of any others that had been sent.
Zhang, who went to IKEA to try on colanders before she took her driver’s license picture, was told to take a new picture before her temporary license expires at the end of March. She said she intends to fight for the right to wear the colander in her photo.
“Yea of course,” Zhang wrote in a text message.
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