The National Council on Identity Policy (NCIDP) - The History of Identity Subdirectory

The National Council on Identity Policy (NCIDP) was born of the struggles of one tenacious survivor of domestic violence and stalking. The NCIDP continues her work with the help of many. Read more about the NCIDP...

This is the main index page for The History of Identity Subdirectory (idhistory.NCIDPolicy.org) of The National Council on Identity Policy - the subdirectory where you can learn fascinating facts about the history of identity and the evolution of identification information and documentation through English Common Law and U.S. law, as applicable to modern U.S. law.

Within these historical examinations lie foundational cornerstones of identity law that remain in force today - legal traditions that inform, and indeed constrain, interpretations of novel laws as they might arise.

Did you know, for example, that the only legally plausible definition of a female (woman) is "other than male"? That is, the precise legal gender distinctions are "male (man)" and then everybody else under the heading "other than male". Indeed, the law cannot hope to define "female (woman)" distinctly from "other than male" without simultaneously attempting to define any and every other possible (innumerable) gender distinction that currently rests in "other than male" at law.

If you did not know that, then you definitely need to read more here, and we suggest that you read all of these History of Identity pages. Pages in this section are reasonably easy to understand for the average layperson, yet are an essential legal background to any legal professional working with laws relating to identities.

Please use the links at left to learn more History of Identity info, return to the NCIDP Home Page or IIULA, or to another subdirectory. Your interest in the NCIDP and its mission is greatly appreciated.