Name changes: How soon is too soon?

[Raya]

(To be clear, I'm nowhere near doing this, I'm just trying to figure things out.)

I've been doing some thinking on how I eventually plan on (eventually) coming out at work and going full-time, and I'm imagining the type of things they'd require. I know a big part of it for me is to get my name and as many sex markers as I can changed beforehand. Now, there are lots of us who've gone that step without changing any of that, and I've read a lot of their stories. But now I'm wondering about the reverse situation: changing your information before going full-time.

Right now, I'm having trouble figuring out the right time to take those legal steps. Is it worse to wait too long or to do it too soon?

Anyway, what do you think? Have any of you changed your names/sex markers before going full time? What were the pitfalls of doing it that way and how did it help things?

[Agent_J]

I changed my name just before transitioning at work. It became the factor that motivated my then-employer to actually deal with my transition; I had first told them about two months earlier and had planned to have my name change in place before it happened but had a delay outside of my control*. The moment I told them I had posted the required notice at the courthouse, which meant I would have my name change order within two weeks, they began to move on it.

One thing I did learn, though; don't change your name while purchasing real estate. The mortgage for our house is in only my wife's name as a result of that mistake.

* I had three official (with the embossed seal) copies of my birth certificate but all three were the short form which did not list my parents' names. I needed to have a birth certificate reflecting that for the name change procedure.

[Stephe]

Right now, I'm having trouble figuring out the right time to take those legal steps. Is it worse to wait too long or to do it too soon?

I changed mine about 6 months after going full time, should have started it sooner. Being full time with a "wrong" ID is stressful. I still can't change the sex marker on my state ID until I am post op, if I ever even do that... SO I have a girls name, looks like a girl in the picture but have M marked on the ID, way ta go conservatives in the state of GA..

[rachl]

Just remember that it takes a LONG time to change your name and getting your banking, credit cards, etc. etc. changed. In Ontario it takes 6-8 weeks just to get the name change certificate, then a solid month+ to get everything else taken care of.

[Bird]

I envy you people.

Here in brazil we are at the stone age. It takes MONTHS for your name to change, and you need lawyers for it. I have been full time, and I mean full time everywhere, since last august with the wrong id, though I changed the picture. My name change request was sent two months ago, and they are still discussing who will judge it. They haven't even BEGUN judging.

To hell with Brazil you know. It is a screwed up country with a huge amount of prejudice towards anyone who is GLBT and barely any rights at all for any of us.

[Cici415]

I envy you people.

Here in brazil we are at the stone age. It takes MONTHS for your name to change, and you need lawyers for it. I have been full time, and I mean full time everywhere, since last august with the wrong id, though I changed the picture. My name change request was sent two months ago, and they are still discussing who will judge it. They haven't even BEGUN judging.

To hell with Brazil you know. It is a screwed up country with a huge amount of prejudice towards anyone who is GLBT and barely any rights at all for any of us.

i would like to disagree and depends on where you live, i have friends in Rio and Bahia that are very open minded and accepting, your mileage may vary! of course in the city people are more open minded

on an unrelated note Valesca Popozuda recognizes LGBT rights and supports them