Susan's Place Transgender Resources

OMG. Getting it changed is the easy part. It's the follow-through that will drive you crazy.

I need to exercise almost daily to lose weight. The court order changing my name was filed on 1/29, and I found out about it two days later. Since then, practically all my free time has been spent notifying companies and organizations I do business with. I haven't exercised in days.

The first order of business is getting a new Social Security card and Driver's License. You have to notify your local assessor and tax collector, and you have to notify the DMV to change the name on your title and registration. If you have bank accounts, you'd better take care of that a.s.a.p. Utilities, credit card companies, store credit accounts ... you'd be surprised to what degree these places aren't prepared for people like us.

I cancelled my Kohl's account. They were too dim to realize that a certified copy of the court order was the gold standard when it comes to proof of name change; they weren't interested in it. They wanted a copy of my driver's license or social security card. I closed the account. After all, I can open another one at the local outlet, without having to risk identity theft.

JCPenney was easy to work with. Sephora was a snap (and very cordial, too, once they realized I was trans). Incidentally, I have nothing but good to say about Sephora. Yes, they're expensive; but they're nice as hell and they know what they're doing. I think they know that trans people are part of their market. My interaction with Ulta was not as pleasant.

My auto insurer misspelled my new name. I sent him an email; then, when I got my updated documents, they were misspelled in a different way. I sent him another email. He blamed it on someone else, but I'm not sure I believe him.

I have two jobs: a full-time job and a part-time job. My part-time job knows I'm transgender; and, in fact, I've been known there by my female name almost since I started work there, and before it was changed legally. I told them I was having my name changed, so they were expecting it. What my boss didn't realize was: (a) that I was changing my whole name, first, middle and last; and (b) the name she knew me by was my new middle name, not my new first name. So, when I notified the company -- it's a big company -- of my name change, naturally, they changed my name in the computer by listing my first and last name, neither of which my boss knew. On Wednesday, I got a phone call. "Ann?" "Yes?" "This is Becky." "Hi, Becky." "Are you [new name]?" "Yes, but I go by middle name." "Well, I just terminated you, because I saw this name come up on my list of employees and I had no idea who it was."

Fortunately, she was able to call the company and get things back to normal -- I think.

So, boys and girls, changing your name is easy. The fun doesn't really begin until it's legal. Then, you'd better set some time aside to deal with the nonsense.  ;D

I tried to start using just my initials where ever possible to ease things along.  Pay Pal wouldn't let me do that with out a legal change notice, even though they are staying the same.

I've got a date for my hearing but not the time yet.  I'm going to call tomorrow and see if I can get that form back yet (the newspaper needs it for the publishing requirement).  I'm hoping my hearing is in the morning so I can at least get Social Security, the DMV and the bank out of the way on day one. 

Sephora and ULTA have both been great to me and they only know me as Tonya.  I don't have credit accounts with them though. 

My gym asked me if I wanted to update my preferred name so of course I said yes. 

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

Yep.  I found state and US federal government steps not too bad (I know some governments are difficult - depends on specific location).  Companies were all over the map, ranging from 3 or 4 clicks to the majority that required a few extra steps, to some that are incredibly dense.  In a few cases I was frustrated enough to dump a company and take my future transactions to a competitor. 

I would have guessed I had about 50 online accounts to move... was shocked to discover I had more than 200.  Eek.

Oh the sweet memories coming in my mind. It took me about one year before the name and gender change was completed. I am a Dutch citizen, legal US resident, so I have to obey and follow rules in two different countries, each with there own, different, laws.

Its a long story to write down, but if someone is interested, just ask.

Talking about some serious red tape to overcome, without traveling between the two countries. Which will be impossible for a while since I will have mismatching ID's. (new Dutch passport vs. US green card)

I do have one question.  How many official or certified or whatever copies of the court order I need?

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

Yes, it has been 10 months since I transitioned and started changing names, 7 months since my legal name change, and I am still finding stragglers that need changing.

The weirdest one was the very first, a retail co-op that I am a member of.  I emailed them with the information and they were happy to make the change.  Then, the next day, I got another email saying that I needed to open a new membership in my new name, and then send in a special form to "transfer my shares" from old-me to new-me.  Obviously, the original guy's supervisor had gotten hold of the request and didn't understand what was going in.  It took several more emails before I got it straightened out that it was just a name change.

Some of them accepted my request but didn't act on it.  You have to follow up, checking utility bills and subscriptions, to make sure that the change actually went through.  Repeat as necessary until they get it right.

And, lucky me, I get to do it all over again next year when my gender change comes through.  (Yeah, right now, I am officially a male Kathy.)  Luckily, most utility accounts and subscriptions don't care about your gender, so there will be fewer of them.

@TonyaW , I ordered three original copies of my name change.  That's probably overkill, but I wanted one for myself, one for a future passport application, and one for my eventual gender change application.  I don't want to have either of those requests denied due to an aversion to photocopies.  For everyone else, I made photocopies and took them to a notary to be certified as accurate copies.  The notary charged me $20 for a whole stack of them.  Ordering duplicate originals was $25 a pop.

I was thinking 3 to 5 copies. I'll save one for the passport.   

I can change gender on my DL with a letter from my doctor (got that at appointment last week) so I'll do that when I change my name. 

Birth certificate name will be changed with the court order but gender they make you have GCS in Wisconsin.

I've been changing various online accounts for a while. A lot of things like magazines and so on I changed to my initials long time ago.  Suprising how many places you can't change your name by updating a profile,  even when there is nothing legal involved. 

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

If your born in Wisconsin a court order is all that's needed to change both your name and gender on your birth certificate. I had a judge in Arizona complete forum F05035 and that was sufficient to correct my birth certificate. You wont find the form online because there have been several revisions of it so call up the Vital Records office and request a copy to be emailed to you. One warning, contrary to what some documentation indicates, you will not get the form returned to you however as you can order additional birth certificates with it, you shouldn't need the original returned.

Quote from: Dena on February 18, 2018, 11:56:14 AM
If your born in Wisconsin a court order is all that's needed to change both your name and gender on your birth certificate. I had a judge in Arizona complete forum F05035 and that was sufficient to correct my birth certificate. You wont find the form online because there have been several revisions of it so call up the Vital Records office and request a copy to be emailed to you. One warning, contrary to what some documentation indicates, you will not get the form returned to you however as you can order additional birth certificates with it, you shouldn't need the original returned.

I will definitely look into this.  Everything I've seen so far has said GCS is required to change the birth certificate here.  Hopefully I can get the judge to sign it at my name change hearing.  I'm pretty sure I'd be ok with just the name change on it, but if it can be done that easily I'll give it a go.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

The document is titled "Report of order to change name & sex on birth certificate due to surgical sex-change procedure". As I am post surgical, there was no question. Depending on the state you currently live in, it's possible the courts may accept a different definition to change your gender marker.

Still in Wisconsin so guessing it won't work.  No harm in trying though

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

I didn't realize there was so much work involved in changing your name. My dad did almost all the work involved in changing mine. Really all I had to do was see the lawyer once and then talk to the judge with my dad. But I also didn't have bank accounts or credit cards at that time either and I didn't actually get a drivers license until after I was 17 so the first one I got already had my new name and female marker on it.

 Here in Oregon With a new change this year I can change the gender on my driver's license with the check of the appropriate box when getting a new license. No other documentation required. Changing the name however isn't that easy. So I can be <old name> gender easy. My ID expires in September, that might be the best I can do by then. At least the picture and gender would be correct.

Hugs,
  Laurie