Name Change on Qualifications

[Ryan]

I have 10 GCSEs (spread across different boards) and some other random qualifications, all under my birth name.
If I get a job, I'm gonna have to show them my GCSEs and out myself.

The fact that I'm trans doesn't affect my ability to do a job, so I would really prefer if I didn't have to disclose such personal information to an employer.

My exam boards were AQA, OCR and Edexcel, but from what I've read, it seems that none of these are willing to provide replacement certificates with a new name. Matter of fact documents contain the correct information at the time of print and that's that.

I also plan to get my gender recognition certificate as soon as possible.

It's not sounding hopeful though, is there anything I can do?

[rejennyrated]

In the UK all exam boards are required BY LAW to provide you with replacement certificates in your new name and gender once you have a gender recognition certificate.

The gender recognition act contains certain clauses designed to ensure that your right to medical privacy is not breached. Failure to provide new documentation in this regard would clearly breach those provisions. Indeed once your birth certificate is ammended into your new names and gender they will need to update their records or their records will not agree with your recorded birth details which would give rise to all sorts of problems with potential fraud.

I suspect the person you spoke to just thought you wanted your name changed for vanity reasons and did not understand or did not know that this was associated with medical gender change. Additionally I have found that quite often the junior oiks that work in the call centres for these sorts of agencies do NOT often know the correct policy in regard to this matter. To get the correct information you ALWAYS need to speak to someone more senior.

ALL UK exam boards, although they may not provide certificates in new names for ANY OTHER reason, will indeed provide them once you have provided them with medical suport letter stating that you have transitioned in gender. This is a requirement under the gender recognition act and is not something that they can or will refuse otherwise you coukd literally take them to court! I know this is the case because I was involved in a very minor way in the drafting of the law.

If you WRITE to them formally explaining the full circumstances and providing them with you gender recognition certificate I am sure they will help. There may be an admin charge for this service though.

Jenny
(who by good forward planning on my parents part was lucky enough to have all her certs either in the correct name or merely using her initials and surname, which have not changed.)

[Ryan]

Jenny, I love you

Thanks so much for posting all that. Just gotta wait til I can get my GRC now, which means I'll need to get around to changing the rest of my ID first. Haha.

[rejennyrated]

Ryan - no problem

But before you assume that you can't do anything without the certificate I would just write formally to the board explaining the circumstances, preferably also get your psychaitrist to write a supporting letter, explaining that the change is being done for medical reasons and asking for their help.

I think you will find that if you explain the full circumstances properly to them they will change the names anyway.

If they refuse, then write back confirming to them that you know that the gender recognition act requires that they cooperate in allowing you to maintain your medical privay and confirming that you WILL contact them again once you have the GR certificate - my guess however is that it won't come to that and you'll get your new exam certs without it anyway.

[Arch]

Hard to believe this is such a big deal, but then my high school refuses to change the name on my diploma. I don't need them to, but I did inquire. Big fat NO. Ooookay.