Susan's Place Transgender Resources

New York City keeps its own records of birth separate from the state.  If you were born there it is possible to correct your birth certificate but it isn't an easy process.  The city Department of Health requires a number of specific certified documents.  No substitutes accepted.

The Department of Health of NYC has proposed new rules, eliminating the surgery requirement and greatly simplifying the process.

You can find the text of the proposed change at https://rules.cityofnewyork.us/sites/default/files/proposed_rules_pdf/p-dohmh_10-14-14_b_art._207.pdf

The Department will hold a public hearing on the proposed rule. The public hearing will take place at 10 AM until 12 PM on November 17, 2014.

The hearing will be at New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Gotham Center, 42-09 28th Street, 3rd Floor, Room 3-32 Long Island City, NY 11101-4132

I live on the West Coast so cannot attend myself.  As I have tried repeatedly over the past 27 years to correct my name and sex this is one rule change I really want to go through.

Quote from: Patty_M on November 07, 2014, 12:54:28 AM
New York City keeps its own records of birth separate from the state.  If you were born there it is possible to correct your birth certificate but it isn't an easy process.  The city Department of Health requires a number of specific certified documents.  No substitutes accepted.

The Department of Health of NYC has proposed new rules, eliminating the surgery requirement and greatly simplifying the process.

You can find the text of the proposed change at https://rules.cityofnewyork.us/sites/default/files/proposed_rules_pdf/p-dohmh_10-14-14_b_art._207.pdf

The Department will hold a public hearing on the proposed rule. The public hearing will take place at 10 AM until 12 PM on November 17, 2014.

The hearing will be at New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Gotham Center, 42-09 28th Street, 3rd Floor, Room 3-32 Long Island City, NY 11101-4132

I live on the West Coast so cannot attend myself.  As I have tried repeatedly over the past 27 years to correct my name and sex this is one rule change I really want to go through.

Thanks, Patty. I hold an NYC birth certificate. I can't make it to the hearing, but I'll keep an eye on this.

I sent the following email to the address given in the description you posted:

QuoteI want to submit my comments in favor of proposed changes to the NYC health code to remove a requirement for surgery to amend sex on a city birth certificate.

I am a 53-year old  transgender woman. I hold a NYC birth certificate, but I have not lived in the city since age 2. Therefore I have no electoral influence on a city policy that profoundly affects me.

The right to documentation that matches one's gender is fundamental. My sex at birth is irrelevant for all of the occasions on which I would need to present a birth certificate, but I would be forced to out myself as a transgender woman and face accompanying prejudice.

The problem is that most transgender women cannot afford genital surgery (it costs upwards of $20,000.00 and is not covered by insurance). Many others cannot undergo it for health reasons. Your current policy dooms them to a sort of "second-class citizenship" where they are forced into documents that violate their privacy, while their wealthier and healthier peers are not.

Also, the choice whether to have genital surgery should be a private one, one in which the city of one's birth should not need to weigh in. Many transgender women are comfortable with their current bodies, and the City of New York should not be pressuring them into surgery they do not want by withholding their privacy.

Therefore, I would like to strongly encourage you to make this change and allow people to change their documents without forcing them to have surgery that they may not be able to afford, may not want, and may not be healthy enough for.

Thank you for your time,

Susan A. G____

I'm debating whether or not to attend this hearing.

The hearing on New York City's birth certificate policy was a week ago and I have not heard anything about the result.

Of course this is not a subject for the national news media but has there been anything in the local papers?  Has a date set for it going to whoever approves things like this?

After all these years the one document I have been unable to change is that damned birth certificate. 

Quote from: Patty_M on November 28, 2014, 03:20:55 PM
The hearing on New York City's birth certificate policy was a week ago and I have not heard anything about the result.

Of course this is not a subject for the national news media but has there been anything in the local papers?  Has a date set for it going to whoever approves things like this?

After all these years the one document I have been unable to change is that damned birth certificate.

New York City Bar Association has commented on it on the 17th but I'm not aware of if they passed the proposal and what language was used to update Section 207.05.