Folks,
Today a legal-sized manila envelope arrived from the City of New York, where a little girl named Karla was born in the early Sixties. Now every last document reflects the truth. I can't tell you how happy and relieved I am. I'm no longer excluded from that particular thing, which cisgendered take for granted. One down, hundreds to go, through the miracle of self-advocacy.
About a year and a half ago, I traveled to NYC for the purpose of having my birth certificate fixed. They took my application and fee, but thereafter declined to so much as change my name... for lack of surgery. This is after I had a court-ordered name change, driving licence that said
F and social security card and just about everything else, that bears my correct name and gender.
Discovered that there was an ongoing lawsuit against the City, that had decided to require proof of surgery. I will not discuss my opinion of that discriminatory practise, just to say that, thank heavens I got the hell out of NYC ten years ago. Eventually the City must have caved... I got a letter saying that a legal change was pending. So I made a second trip with the doctor's letter that worked for my passport, driving licence etc. Not good enough for NYC... they have a special form for the doctor to fill in and have notarised and sealed...
Now for the good news. The Deputy Director herself came out and sat down with me and walked me through the process, saying that she would personally hold my paperwork on her desk, until a fax of the completed form arrived from my doctor. And to please send the original along when I could. Wow. Wow. Shook my hand, smiles exchanged, some motherly chat about our kids...
I have a blank form should anyone need it. Please PM me.
Hugs !!!!!!
