Denied Gender Change at DMV: Government Workers Need More Education

[Natasha]

Denied Gender Change at DMV: Government Workers Need More Education

http://www.southfloridagaynews.com/sfgn-columnists/guest-columnists/3957-denied-gender-change-at-dmv-government-workers-need-more-education.html
6/28/11
Written by Victoria Michaels Lavelle

My name is Victoria Michaels Lavelle and I am the current reigning Miss Florida F.I. 2011 for the LGBT community.  I am a pre-op transsexual (male to female) and I have been living every day life as a full time female since 1999.   I serve as an advocate for the LGBT community and I currently work as a premiere hostess at the world famous Boardwalk Bar in Fort Lauderdale.

On June 10, 2010 the U.S. Department of State announced new guidelines for issuing passports to transgender people.  It states that any applicant for a gender marker change on their passports will need to submit a certification from a physician that they have received "appropriate clinical treatment" for gender transition.  Most importantly, gender reassignment surgery is not required anymore under the new policy.