Ohio????

[jet3]

I don't know know if anyone here is from ohio? But if so, you know the only good thing here is the ohio state buckeyes! I know in Ohio you can't legally change your gender on your birth certificate, but I was wondering if anyone knows if there are any ways you can get around that law? as far as going to court or anything at all? It just seems crazy to me that i am going to be a man, but yet my birth certificate and drivers license will say i'm a female!
Jet

[Jamie-o]

Unfortunately, I don't have an answer for you, but since you brought the subject up, I wanted to add a question.  I, too, had the misfortune of being born in Ohio (though I don't live there anymore.)  So does anyone know if it is possible to change the gender marker on one's passport, even if one can't change it on the birth certificate?

[jet3]

Unfortunately, I don't have an answer for you, but since you brought the subject up, I wanted to add a question.  I, too, had the misfortune of being born in Ohio (though I don't live there anymore.)  So does anyone know if it is possible to change the gender marker on one's passport, even if one can't change it on the birth certificate?

I've heard that you can't change it on your passport either. I havent tried myself, but from what i hear you basically can't change your gender on anything. A few people have said that when you go to change your license if you catch the person working on a good day, they might change you gender on there.  But with your passport i doubt they will, because you have to give them your birth certificate to get a passport, but i dont know for sure.
Jet

[zombiesarepeaceful]

Yeah, I'm from Northeastern Ohio.

[mickiejr1815]

to all: i am from ohio as well and I am working on this aspect too. tbh, here they just recently started allowing you to change your name on your bc. but still will not let you change your gender for mtf's especially if you haven't had surgery yet which i think is quite unfair & ridiculous, spend 20k so you can spend $25? how completely idiotic!!!!!!!!!!!!! most ftm don't get bottom surgery, and if somebody i guess is caught on a good day would simply think that someone made a mistake if they had facial hair resembling a beard, etc. and probably would change it no questions asked. but the other way around i have to prove everything. tho if yu look at my avatar, i don't really have a lot either. there is a representative fighting to change this policy for us here in ohio. here is a link of what happened in NY:

http://www.ohionamechange.com/Court_allows_name_change.php

this shouldn't be so hard for us, yet it is. some thinggs are stupid, like marriage, if Shannon and Jody get married 4 example, who's to be able to know who is what sex at first glance? they could be either and why should anyone really care as long as they are law abiding citizens? this state stinks on its equality issues and i can't wait for it to end.

also call your local probate court, they should be able to help out with any legal issues.


Best Wishes,
Mickie,
The New Warrior Princess

[Kevin]

Hey zombiesarepeaceful, do you still live in NE Ohio?  If so where at, if you don't mind me asking?  I'm in western Stark County.

And the birth certificate thing is really sucky . . . do you think the Ohio laws will be changed sometime relatively soon?  Also, when you get a name change and go to change it on the birth certificate, what do they do?  I heard something about how they don't get rid of the original name on it and just add your new name?

[zombiesarepeaceful]

^Yeah...I only posted yesterday. I haven't moved since then. But you never know with me.

I live in Trumbull County.

[Kevin]

Oh, cool, nice to meet someone else from northeast Ohio.  (And I asked if you still lived there because I didn't know if you meant you were originally from Ohio and moved or if you lived there now.)

[Nikki]

Live in WV born in Canton(*frowns* 3 weeks short of avoiding being born there).

[JakeDenver]

I know this is a very old topic but I just found it. I am from the great area of North East Ohio. Ohio is supposedly one of the worst states to live in if you are LGBT and so on. I think we are ranked in the top 10 of worst equality states. I havent looked it up in a while...

Trumbull County you say? Me too. People here are so closed minded. Thank god we have a few good bars to escape to.

Another question. If you arent born in Ohio but live here now I wonder how the whole name change and gender change would work. I was born in Colorado.

[Luc]

This is yet another thread that makes me wonder wtf is up with transfolk and Ohio. I was born there, too... Cincinnati. So I have no hope of ever getting my birth certificate amended... though I really never intended to. As far as ID, though, I'm pretty sure most of the states I could conceive of living in in the future will be fine with me changing my gender on my license and whatnot.

And no, I don't live in Ohio now... but I think there's something in the water there.

SD
Post Merge: March 01, 2009, 07:01:41 PM
Just thought of this... Jake, you should have no problem with your birth certificate. When it comes to that, you have to worry about the laws in the state where you were born. I'm currently living in Colorado, and it's one of the most liberal states out there. They'll legally change your gender once you've had top surgery.

[mickie88]

sounds to me as if everyone who lives in Ohio has not even bothered to have their gender marker changed on their license or anything else for that matter. i was going to try and get insurance from my employer just for me, so i could hopefully have some way of paying for hrt and everything else, but my soon-to-be ex spouse says that if i do that then i have to have coverage for my kids too and since i work only the weekends i wouldn't even get a paycheck cuz it's never cheap through your employer.

but does anyone know what Aetna covers on the MTF spectrum? i have heard they at least covered blood tests and hrt, am i wrong?

has anyone got anything at least like a drivers license changed without surgery here in ohio?

[tekla]

Almost all insurance policies are individually written for companies or individuals as to what they will or will not cover.  You can get anything insured, its just the cost.

[JakeDenver]

I have no idea where I would even look to see exactly what the gender change laws in Ohio are. I have heard they are not good here. Hence the reason I plan to get out of here as soon as I can. Id like to look into private health insurance but I guess I would have to ask what exactly they covered in the transitioning process. It may just be cheaper to not get the insurance. I dunno if anyone knows where to find Ohio laws on gender changing I would be extremely thankful.

[Luc]

Okay, I did a little searching; this might not be the best list, but I tried.

Info on changing gender on ID by state: http://www.thetransitionalmale.com/dlchange

This one is a little cryptic, but shows the laws pretty much to the letter: http://www.lambdalegal.org/our-work/issues/rights-of-transgender-people/sources-of-authority-to-amend.html

This has info for mtfs mostly as regards gender change on passports: http://www.tsroadmap.com/reality/passport.html

And this one covers pretty much everything: http://www.nctequality.org/Issues/Federal_Documents.html

The problem I have with all of these documents is that they don't specify what sexual reassignment surgery means. Obviously, they assume that "SRS" refers to genital surgery, but that is almost always only for mtfs. Ftms have a bit more of an issue with that... I wish they'd say whether the various government agencies will be satisfied with top surgery, or if you really have to go through some ridiculous gender mutilation... sorry, but that's what phalloplasties are right now.

SD

[mickie88]

so no one here has tried to change drivers' licenses or anything here in Ohio? we really need to change that. where i live, Sebastien, you wouldn't even make it into the ladies room...lol.

[transjosh]

I live in Columbus... I know for a fact that getting your drivers license changed is easy.  So is changing your Social Sec.  I have only had my name changed so far because I haven't had my surgery yet, but once you have surgery the doctor will write a letter and all you have to do is take it to the Social Sec office and to the BMV and they will change the gender inital for you with no questions. (good or bad day)  As far as the birth cert, I have changed my name on it and I was told by my therapist that it would only be an amendment, however when I got it back in the mail with my name changed it just shows Joshua Andrew Mead...and not the birth name.  This too was not an issue to do other than a 16.50 charge, and the letter from the court with my name change.  I know that my therapist is working very hard with Gov Strickland to figure out what steps need to be taken to get our gender inital changed on the birth cert.  The crazy thing she encountered when first speaking to him was, he had no idea that there was such a law.  There are 3 states in all of America that do not allow you to change your inital on your birth cert.  they are Ohio, Iowa, and Tennesse!  I couldn't believe it I thought for sure Texas would be one of them.  Keep your fingers crossed and write to our goverment offices!!! I hope that it changes soon!

[jet3]

I was going to go along with what transjosh said.  Seeing as there are a few posts on here from people in Ohio, I think we all need to write letters to Gov Strickland about the gender mark.  The more people who write letters the more serious they will take this.  I will look for the address and post it on here (am I aloud to post an address?)  Also if you read this and you aren't from Ohio, I'm sure it wouldn't hurt at all if you wrote to our gov as well.  Hopefully we can get some letters flowing in and a change in the near future. I know I want an M on my birth certificate.

Also...Josh, do you now what kind of surgery is required for the change on the License?
Post Merge: March 05, 2009, 05:19:30 PM
I hope I am aloud to post an address, if not, my bad.  This is the address to Governor Strickland's office.  If any of you have time to write a quick letter to the governor of ohio about allowing transgender individuals to change their gender mark on their birth certificate that would be awesome.  If he starts getting a couple letters a week on this topic he will have to put some thought into it....hopefully.

Governor's Office
Riffe Center, 30th Floor
77 South High Street
Columbus, OH 43215-6108

[transjosh]

For FTM's top surgery is the only surgery required.  I am looking into what is required for MTF's and I will get back with everyone.

[mickie88]

thanks i know i appreciate it, it doesn't seem like there are a lot of ladies from ohio still living here and i really don't blame them. if an orchiectomey will do, that's even out of reach for some of us.  i know my insurance more than likely won't cover it because they will start asking questions and then will quit paying for things. all i really care about they pay for is the expensive stuff like dr. visits and bllod work, hormones aren't really all that hard with $4 scripts at walmart and other places.