Ohio Name change experiences

[Kayla]

Hey everyone, I am a law student in Ohio and I want to ask about experiences in Ohio with name changes. I'm doing this because I am now in charge of setting up a name change clinic for transsexuals to take place later this year.

I know the basic information (file with the probate court, publish name 30 days in advance to the hearing), but I just want to get some personal experiences about the process so I can better understand the ins-and-outs of the system, as well as how people felt going through it (I changed my name in Virginia and it was ridiculously easy). Anyways, if anyone would like to share their stories of the system, I'd really appreciate it. And if you do choose to share, please tell me as much as you can. No detail is trivial.

[Chaos]

As someone who was born in ohio,I personally don't think that name change is the biggest concern or issue but gender marker.I haven't looked into it yet but if issues with name change come up then ill make sure to let you know.but I just wanted to be honest on the biggest ohio issue.

[SandraB]

Kayla:
I'm filing this week in Summit County. I'll let you know how it goes.

[Jennygirl]

Is it possible to change the birth certificate? I seem to remember the last time I checked it was a no

[SandraB]

My hearing was this morning. I had been pretty nonchalant up until that point, but walking into the hearing room, I was pretty nervous.  The "normal" Judge wasn't there and a visiting Judge was hearing all of the day's cases, all name changes. He heard everyone else and took mine last after everyone else had left.  All told, it took maybe five minutes.  Very quick and basic questions. He smiled, granted the motion and wished me luck. Best of all though was the compassion that he showed by taking my case last. To that, I owe him a great degree of gratitude. (Summit County, OH)

[Ginny]

OHIO - Birth Certificate Changes

Name change: Issued with court order from Ohio or other state in which you reside.

Gender Marker: Will not change, even with surgeon's letter or court order. (One of three states that refuses to get with the times.  Other two are Idaho and Tennessee (which actually has it written into law to prevent transgenders from receiving this.))

[Khalysta]

I wrote to the state assemblywoman for where I grew up asking for the gender rule to change.  I explained the california rules, how ohio is only one of a few states who don't allow this and how the lgbt rights are sweeping the nation.  It just doesn't make any sense to me.  I grew up in summit county people were fairly open minded even at the time.  I went to Ohio State and one of the best parts of town was German Village where much of the LGBT community resided which isnt far from all the capitol buildings.  It's strange to have such a dense pocket right near the capitol that people loved yet the lawmakers do nothing.  Something tells me its going to take a civil suit or something to change this since many ohio republicans are also holding up ENDA from passing in the house.

[SandraB]

Just a little rant here one my current home state of Ohio: Is it just me, or is it somewhat bizarre that the last few Presidential Elections, my state, Ohio, has been a 'battle ground state'?  the news media and the nation looked upon my state the last two elections as the deciding state, the pivotal state in who would decide our Nation's leader, as if we here in Ohio spoke for the Nation. If that is the case, if Ohio speaks for the Nation, either my Nation is misguided and ill-informed or my Nation is not what I thought it is. For my state, the State of Ohio is perhaps one of, if not the most bigoted, least progressive states in the Nation. Statistically, Ohio is among the Nations leaders in the lack of human right on the LGBT forefront. Specifically, the transgender have virtually no human rights in this state and the Legislature has neither desire nor inkling to change that position.  Our Congressional delegation mimics this position. Our Governor allowed a long standing MOU anti-discrimination gender identity provision expire in 2011. Yet through all of this, the Akron/Cleveland is hosting this year's Gay Games. The city of Cleveland is bidding and is contention for both Republican and Democratic Conventions in 2016.
What I find even more ironic is that Louisiana, a state that has a long and dark history of racism and bigotry is more progressive than Ohio. This year, four key pieces of legislation were introduced to give transgender individuals protection and equal rights. They did not make it out of committee, but it is a start in the right direction and they will be re-introduced next session. They are attempting to right the sins of their past, legislate equality and human rights for all. It's a slow process, but they are on the right road. Ohio, I can't say much for us. Sorry. Wish I could. Just can't.

[Carrie Liz]

As an Ohioan, it was really easy to get my name and my gender marker changed on my legal documents.

All I needed to change my gender with the BMV and Social Security was a therapist's letter stating that in her professional opinion my birth gender was male, identity gender was female, and gender change is complete. (There's also an "incomplete" option that makes trans people re-verify the new gender marker when they renew their license.)

Name change was a simple matter of submitting a request for a name change with the county court, paying the fee, and the courts took care of the rest. I came in on the day of my court hearing, met with a single county court deputy, they certified the name change, and poof! Done. Piece of cake, really.

Ohio's system of changing name and gender on legal documents is pretty easy and straight-forward. Now, changing one's birth certificate is another matter. I have a post-op friend who tried and failed to get her gender marker changed on her Ohio birth certificate. So right now every trans person who was born in this state is basically stuck having the wrong gender on their birth certificate forever. This needs to change. (I was born in Florida, so I can indeed change mine once I've had SRS, but yeah, it's a big issue for a lot of my friends.)