Washington D.C. Transgender Law Allows For Birth Certificate Revision

[Amelia Pond]

Washington D.C. Transgender Law Allows For Birth Certificate Revision
James Nichols, The Huffington Post, 08/13/2013 5:14 pm EDT

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/13/dc-law-transgender-birth-certificates_n_3750810.html

Late last week, D.C. mayor Vincent Grey signed into law groundbreaking legislation that will allow transgender individuals to seek revision of their birth certificates to reflect their gender identity, among other reforms.

JaParker Deoni Jones Birth Certificate Equality Amendment Act of 2013 and the Marriage Officiant Amendment Act of 2013, which passed unanimously by the D.C. Council last month, repeals a previous requirement that those seeking to change their birth certificate must undergo sex reassignment surgery. Rather, individuals who want to change their assigned sex in the eyes of the state now only need provide a written request and a signed statement from a healthcare provider.

The importance of this law cannot be understated, as requiring trans individuals to seek medical intervention in order to be legally validated within their gender identity has historically functioned as a rigid gatekeeping tactic. Despite the fact that those wishing to alter their birth certificate still need a signed statement from a healthcare practitioner, the choice of medical intervention is now no longer functioning as a force of regulation for D.C.'s transgender community.

[Shana-chan]

So does this mean anyone in the US can get their birth certificate changed to reflect what sex they really are or is this for D.C. only?

[Amelia Pond]

D.C. Only.

Amy

[Shana-chan]

Nuts! So can anyone in the US go to D.C. and have it changed even if they don't live there and or weren't born there? Really it's a step in the right direction, I just hope the rest of the world will follow.

[Jamie D]

Apparently it only applies to those transgendered persons who were born in the District of Columbia.

Hehe - like me! 

[Shana-chan]

I see. Thanks. While that sucks for the rest of us at least others have a better chance now. And hopefully the rest of the world will follow. (Preferably the sooner the better imo)