Pastafarian Lindsay Miller was allowed by a Mass. agency to take her driver's license photo while wearing a spaghetti strainer on her head as part of her religious beliefs, according to Fox News. Miller is a member of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster.
The Lowell, Mass. resident loves the history of the religion, which claims hundreds of years of existence but only managed to become mainstream in 2005, when Bobby Henderson sent an open letter out announcing the Church. For a mere $25, anyone can become an ordained Pastafarian minister and receive a lovely parchment certificate to prove it. Learn more about the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster and its history here:
The Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles denied Miller's driver's license renewal in August, as they do not permit hats or head coverings, with the exception of those for religious reasons. Miller claims that wearing the colander on her head is expressing her religious beliefs and is one of her rights.
"I thought of other religions and women and thought that this was not fair. I thought, Just because you haven't heard of this belief system, [the RMV] should not be denying me a license," said Miller.
"If people are given the right to wear religious garments in government ID photos, then this must extend to people who follow the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster," said David Niose, legal director of the Appignani Humanist Legal Center, according to the New York Daily News.
Pastafarian headgear is allowed in UK licenses. « Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster https://t.co/eaq7sV0yql
— Chris Hoefliger (@ChrisHoefliger) October 28, 2015
Miller isn't the only Pastafarian in the U.S. with a strainer on her head in her license photos, as Utah and Missouri have issued state IDs with the head coverings, as well. Internationally, Austria has allowed a Pastafarian to wear the head covering in his license photo in 2014.
