Susan's Place Transgender Resources

About a month ago, I received my letter confirming that I had completed appropriate medical treatment, so we ran immediately to the courthouse to book a court date to change my name/gender.  It was today, Jan 20th at 8:30 am.  We got there early, and watched as a few people before us got chased away for not properly advertising their name changes (not gender-related) and listened as the judge poked at each person as to their reasoning. 

Finally, he called my name (only my new name), and I stepped forward to face him.  He leafed through my file, looked up and asked if anyone had an objection, immediately following that with "Approved."   That was the whole thing.  Since we were done so fast, and had some time to kill, we checked out whether the Social Security office took walk-ins.  They said yes, so we headed over there in the middle of torrential rain, finding the place almost deserted.  Within about 15 minutes, they had updated my social security records with my new name/gender and sent us on our way.  I had anticipated we'd be booking an appointment there weeks after the court hearing. 

Emboldened, we checked into the local DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) and they were taking walk-ins as well.  So we waited about an hour total, and got my new license ordered and photo taken.  This was another task I had projected out into weeks from now.  When we got home, my wife took a few passport photos (since I was looking about as good as I've ever looked, if I might be so bold).  Those will go into the passport request, along with a birth certificate change request, to be mailed out tomorrow. 

So here I am, with documents in hand or in the mail, that I had expected to receive months from now.  All that's left for me to do after that is to figure out how to break this to my family, and then to my company, so I can go full-time. 

I'm still a little shaky after all of the day's goings-on, but my life just got a whole lot better in the last 24 hours.  Thanks to all for the encouragement, guidance and inspiration. 

Erin

What a lovely day and a happy post!!

Congratulations!

Although I'm in Australia and the process is quite different, the day my name change arrived in the mail (it is just paperwork here and $25) I changed all my documents as well. At the end of the day I sat a bit stunned realising that I had basically eradicated my past. It was a lovely feeling!!

Love

Cindy

All right, Erin!   The One Day Triple Play!  And you beat my elapsed time, too.  Congratulations!

That's such a great feeling.  A week later, I still can't believe I did it.


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Without derailing Erin's thread but as you both are changing your passports may I tell my experience?

I filled in everything and went to the passport place and handed in my documents, name change, pics the lot. A lovely woman processed them and never in fact looked at my current, to be changed passport, then in a formal manner made me stand in front of her and then said: You realise that I am now going to invalidate your current passport and you will not be able to travel on this passport again? I replied 'Yes' and she tore a strip off the front page of it, opening the pages and seeing my ex-male image for the first time. She got a huge smile on her face and said (typical Aussie) 'Jeez woman you couldn't travel anywhere with that picture.' 'I'll mark it express so we get it back quickly, congratulations darling'

It was nice!

Congrats again to both of you.

Congratulations! Haha wow! ☺️

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Quote from: Cindy on January 21, 2017, 01:35:20 AM
Without derailing Erin's thread but as you both are changing your passports may I tell my experience?

I filled in everything and went to the passport place and handed in my documents, name change, pics the lot. A lovely woman processed them and never in fact looked at my current, to be changed passport, then in a formal manner made me stand in front of her and then said: You realise that I am now going to invalidate your current passport and you will not be able to travel on this passport again? I replied 'Yes' and she tore a strip off the front page of it, opening the pages and seeing my ex-male image for the first time. She got a huge smile on her face and said (typical Aussie) 'Jeez woman you couldn't travel anywhere with that picture.' 'I'll mark it express so we get it back quickly, congratulations darling'

Ha ha!  Derail away!  I was hoping to hear from some other about their experiences.  During the whole process so far, I've felt so vulnerable and ready for the worst, and have had just the best people helping me and treating me with respect and even a little joy at times.  My wife said that the judge smiled at me after granting the change, but I was looking at the floor and missed it.  :(

It does break my heart to hear from some friends here about systems in states and nations that are far less supportive of their plight.  I'll be glad to have all of my federal stuff in the bag, just in case. 

Erin

Erin, just something to look out for on the passport:  When changing booth name and gender marker, the US State Department rules list a bunch of conditions.  I had to apply for a new passport, appearing in person, and the postmaster actually got the rule book out and checked.  I needed a primary or secondary photo ID in my current presentation (the new driver's license will fix that) and because the old passport had the old name and gender, the postmaster said that not all the documents reflected the current gender and a medical letter was needed.  My medical letter didn't meet the State Department standards.  (Sworn on the laws of the State of California, rather than the United States, for example.)

So, I'm gearing up for a second try as soon as the doctor gets around to dictating a new letter. *SIGH*


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Quote from: Michelle_P on January 21, 2017, 11:50:58 PM
I had to apply for a new passport, appearing in person, and the postmaster actually got the rule book out and checked.  I needed a primary or secondary photo ID in my current presentation (the new driver's license will fix that) and because the old passport had the old name and gender, the postmaster said that not all the documents reflected the current gender and a medical letter was needed.  My medical letter didn't meet the State Department standards.  (Sworn on the laws of the State of California, rather than the United States, for example.)

Ungh! I thought we were going to be able to mail it in.  Thanks for the heads' up.  We're gonna go to the post office as soon as the new license comes in. 

Also, I checked my letter, and it was sworn on the laws of the State of California and the United States of America (Thank you LGBT Center :) )

Good luck and godspeed to you and your letter! 

Erin

For Californians, the Oakland Transgender Law Center has a wonderful 114 page book full of sample forms and checklists on How To Do This:

https://transgenderlawcenter.org/resources/id/id-please

I used this to do the court name change, birth certificate application, Social Security, and the Department of Motor Vehicles stuff.  I'm just waiting for that pesky corrected letter and then I'll do the passport stuff.



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OMG what a day that must have been! Congrats. Hope you get everything soon. It seems so far away for me I can't imagine it yet!

Cindy, that was a great story about your passport. I have found people to be accepting but not someone so enthusiastic for me so far.  :)

What a huge day for you! Congratulations on knocking out all of those steps in one fell swoop!

Thanks to all for the words of encouragement and support.  I got my new Social Security card and drivers license in the mail and was able to submit my passport app.  (Thanks Michelle, the ID-Please was a great step-by-step guide).  It's the first drivers' license photo of me smiling EVER.  I asked for expedited delivery on the passport, so I hope to have it within 3 weeks, or about the time of my next face-clearing trip to Dallas.  Oh my god, I'm gonna run out of stuff to do in this transition.  Well, still have to talk to Mom. :'(

Erin

gratz much dayta.. i got my ss card and liscence recently .. i equally remember smiling quite a lot... rock on and keep being you. <3

Yaaay!  Isn't that a wonderful feeling? 

Now, scan in the front and back of your drivers license, so you will have an image to send to the credit card companies to revise the names on your cards.  Once the card companies send the new cards to you, they will have reported the change to the credit reporting agencies.  That means that when utilities, banks, and CoveredCalifornia verify your new name with the credit reporting agency, the check will succeed.  Then...


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