Birth Certificates and Social Security?

[JamesRoe73]

I'm really confused on how to change my sex on my birth certificate and social security. I've heard so many different things. Is there some source that tells me exactly what I need to do? I've been searching for hours on the internet and I can't find anything that says more than "it can be changed" or something like that.
What are the requirements for both? is there an age requirement? if it helps, I'm in Minnesota...
Any input would be helpful, I'm just really frustrated at how difficult it is to find this information D:

[Sharky]

https://www.susans.org/wiki/Changing_Social_Security_records
https://www.susans.org/wiki/Changing_sex_on_birth_certificates_in_the_US

[Janet_Girl]

Some of us have had great success changing gender on the Social Security with small surgeries.  Some of the guys have do it with top surgery.  I, personally changed mine with an Orchidectomy.  I think as long as it says "irreversible genital surgery".

[Arch]

I did the same thing. I think it's all different state by state.

Or maybe it varies from office to office or SSA employee to SSA employee.

[straightedgechris]

I went to the social security website & there's a section titled "How Do I..." and in there is the info I used; there's a form, SS-5 I think, which can be printed. One can bring / mail the ss-5, letter from surgeon, social security card and ID and the gender marker will be changed on their records.

This has been my experience--or, more accurately, I mailed the stuff and am waiting for a response from social security!

[Robert Scott]

Minnesota is easy to get your birth certificate changed ....

If you haven't changed your name yet you can get it ordered with your name change.  If you have had your name changed then its a simply request to the Health Department.

Outfront Minnesota does a great job explaining it.
http://www.outfront.org/library/legal/trans

Your social security card is a bit different ... it requires both top and bottom surgery ...for ftm's that means a hysto ...

I do presententation on how to change everything through Minnesota Trangender Health Coalition shot clinic and Reclaim .. if you in the state now check those out - I provide all the paperwork necessairy to do that and many other things.  I also do private consultations to walk folks through the process.  It seems overwhelming but you can do it without an attorney.

[Amykins]

It took me a long time to get my birth certificate changed, mostly because of transphobic hate on the part of the office manager at the government department in Lansing Michigan who's office did that. He dragged his feet on it for three years, until I got the ACLU on him and worked him into a corner.

I had to pester Dr. Schrang to do the medical affidavit on different forms because Michigan kept making changes, and rejecting me because I'd not used the new form, and that kind of hassle went on for three years. The guy in charge there really did not like doing this for us.

They would claim they never got my forms too, and jerk me around all they could, but in the end they had to do it, and I finally got my *correct* birth certificate.

It was a long and hard fought battle.

The social security card was a snap, I did that back in San Francisco. I just walked up to the counter, told the nice Asian woman I needed to change my name on my card. "Yes maam, did you get married?"
I said no, and put copies of my before and after driver's licenses on the counter. She was absolutely delighted and enthusiastically got to work on it.

A delightful memory 

[Arch]

Your social security card is a bit different ... it requires both top and bottom surgery ...for ftm's that means a hysto ...

Not unless the SSA suddenly changed their guidelines in the last 20 months or so, and I haven't seen any evidence that they have. I changed my SS status with only top surgery, and so have a couple of my friends... but one of them probably did it around five years ago. A lot of my friends can't afford any kind of surgery yet, so they are still female with the SSA.

[Arch]

It took me a long time to get my birth certificate changed, mostly because of transphobic hate on the part of the office manager at the government department in Lansing Michigan who's office did that.

Bastard. Good for you, for not giving up.

[Liam K]

Okay, here's what the National Center for Transgender Equality (http://transequality.org/Issues/federal_documents.html) has to say about changing your gender on Social Security (which, btw, is a national entity, so its policies are the same no matter what state you're in):


Gender Change
To change your name in the Social Security Administration (SSA) records, provide the following at your local SSA office.  All documents need to be originals or certified copies by the issuing agency.  You can find the nearest SSA office at the Social Security website.
1.   A completed Form SS-5  "Application For A Social Security Card." (http://www.ssa.gov/online/ss-5.pdf)
2.    Proof of identity.  One or more identity documents in your new legal name, such as, a driver license, passport, state-issued ID, etc.  These documents must show your current legal name.
3.   A letter from the surgeon or attending physician verifying sex change surgery has been completed.  This letter must clearly identify you as the person changing their gender marker. 
4.   If you are a U.S. citizen and have not previously established citizenship with SSA, you will need to present a birth certificate, U.S. passport, or other proof of citizenship. Note:  your birth certificate or other document establishing citizenship does not need to show your current name or gender.  However, you will need to show proof that you are the same person, such as with a court order for legal name change.
5.   If you are a non-citizen, you will need to show documentsproving your immigration status and work eligibility, such as, Form I-551, I-94 with unexpired foreign passport, and/or work permit card (I-766 or I-688B).  Because there are many types and combinations of qualifying documents for non-citizens, you should call SSA to confirm that your documents qualify.


But yeah, some of it may come down to the individual Social Security employee you're working with.  I haven't had surgery, so I haven't tried to change my gender in their system, but when I went to show them proof of my name change, the guy I talked to needed some convincing that it was okay for me to change my name from a traditionally female name to a traditionally male name, even though I had a court-ordered name change with me.  It might be a good idea to go into the Social Security office with a copy of the official policies on hand with you, just in case you need to back yourself up.  The Social Security webpage with its official policies on this topic is here: http://ssa-custhelp.ssa.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/1667/~/correct-or-change-gender-on-your-social-security-record

[Arch]

Ah, yes--good advice. I did this with whatever I could find for SS and DMV, and it really eased my mind to have the information handy in case someone gave me trouble. Nobody did, but still.

It might be a good idea to go into the Social Security office with a copy of the official policies on hand with you, just in case you need to back yourself up. 

[ajayjo]

wait a min....im so confused about that change name or gender maker on birth certiciate and social seurity....if u pre t or full t would change their name or gender maker on it? please tell me more details.

[Arch]

Social Security--You can always change your name, but you can't change your gender marker without surgery unless you get lucky.

Birth Cert--Guidelines vary by state, so you would have to look this up and find out the policies in your birth state. My birth state, for example, requires a court order for name changes (I don't have a court order), and I'm not sure offhand whether they actually change the BC or just give me an amendment card to attach to an existing BC. And they will not change the sex marker at all--only give an amendment card. So I'm pretty much screwed, at least for now.

[ajayjo]

okay i understand...thanks arch

[xAndrewx]

Birth certificate- and I'm not sure offhand whether they actually change the BC or just give me an amendment card to attach to an existing BC.

I've heard even that sometimes depends on who you get. Only throwing this out there because I know two people who got a name change on their BC in the same state. One got a new one without the old name on it and the other got a birth certificate that had their old name and their new name added on it.

[Arch]

I've heard even that sometimes depends on who you get. Only throwing this out there because I know two people who got a name change on their BC in the same state. One got a new one without the old name on it and the other got a birth certificate that had their old name and their new name added on it.

Unfortunately, my state does not actually change the BC itself--you have to attach the card to an existing copy of the BC. But your story is interesting. Could there have been a change in policy between these two people's changes? Is there some kind of blank field left on the BC for new names? Weird.

[xAndrewx]

I'm honestly not sure exactly how it was done only because I really didn't ask to many questions. It was two people from my group talking about it but come to think of it they might have been born in different counties in the state. Really I would think it should be a state-wide thing though.

[LordKAT]

My state you can have your BC impounded and a new one made. I plan to do this as soon as I can pay the lawyer.

[Arch]

My state you can have your BC impounded and a new one made. I plan to do this as soon as I can pay the lawyer.

As far as I can tell, I'm going to need a lawyer at some point to get advice about a legal name change. I went with a common use name change years ago, but my birth state refuses to accept that for BC amendments. I had always thought that all states were supposed to accept other states' name change laws for such things, but South Carolina apparently doesn't. So I have to figure out how to change a name that has already been changed, and do it so that the birth name is listed on there somewhere--but not as my current name.

If SC wouldn't act like such a prat, it wouldn't be a problem. Hell, I was able to use my common use name change to get a CA DL, a Selective Service exemption, a new Social Security card, and a passport. What's good enough for California, SSS, SSA, and the State Department clearly isn't good enough for South Carolina.

[Arch]

Valerie, I had no idea that Washington, D.C. was so, uh, backward. What a crock!!!

I think you and I should arrange to have been born in California.