Susan's Place Transgender Resources

Just found out the state I was born in will not change your birth certificate info.  They'll do an amended version (if court-ordered) with your new name but it still lists your birth name (mine is very girly) and a big freaking "F".  So even if I move to another state, this will still follow me.   >:(  Does anyone know if this will hinder me from getting gender markers changed on my driver's license and SS card?  Or if I should get a passport in the future?  I hate this backwards state.

I have the same thing. Getting the gender marker change was no problem. I got everything done - DL, SS, passport (waiting for it to come back). The BC issue didn't factor in at all. Now whether it will prove a problem in the future, I don't know.

Mine is the same way.  They just mark through it, print the new name and gender marker in the margin, and give it a big (fake looking) stamp of approval.

It shouldn't affect getting any other identification changed.  As long as it's on there (even if it looks like crap), it should work.

Yeah, mine's like that too. My therapist was the one who broke the news to me actually and she pretty much said that to change my gender and name on everything else, I had to find a state that didn't require the presentation of a birth certificate when getting a new drivers license. Such as Rhode Island. Establish a brief residency there and change my gender, then move to a different state and change my name.

All of that just because my home state won't change the gender.

After that, changing your passport should be easy. I think they just need another form of ID, so you could just use the license you so painstakingly changed.

This is such a bitch. My jaw literally dropped when she told me all of this.

What did it take to get a correct passport? I have DL and SS with correct gender on it. I have never had a passport if that matters.

Quote from: JesseAu on May 03, 2010, 10:05:41 PM
Yeah, mine's like that too. My therapist was the one who broke the news to me actually and she pretty much said that to change my gender and name on everything else, I had to find a state that didn't require the presentation of a birth certificate when getting a new drivers license. Such as Rhode Island. Establish a brief residency there and change my gender, then move to a different state and change my name.

All of that just because my home state won't change the gender.

After that, changing your passport should be easy. I think they just need another form of ID, so you could just use the license you so painstakingly changed.

This is such a bitch. My jaw literally dropped when she told me all of this.

A state like Washington, where a birth certificate is required (I think all states require them now to comply with the new federal laws) but the gender marker can be changed with just a letter from a therapist, should also work.

Well that really sucks. I'm working on my legal name change right now, but does anyone know the gender marker rules for california?

For a guide to getting gender markers changed in California, go to transgenderlawcenter.org. On the front page there is a link for 'obtaining a name and gender marker change on your California Driver's License'.  Better still, on the left side are quicklinks. Hover over 'ID Change' and then select 'ID Please'. This is a comprehensive guide to changing name/gender markers on nearly everything (DL, SS, etc) for anyone in California.

Quote from: kyril on May 03, 2010, 11:18:38 PM
A state like Washington, where a birth certificate is required (I think all states require them now to comply with the new federal laws) but the gender marker can be changed with just a letter from a therapist, should also work.

Therapists letter will not change gender on a passport, permanently. That much I do know.

Quote from: LordKAT on May 03, 2010, 11:42:19 PM
Therapists letter will not change gender on a passport, permanently. That much I do know.

It will change gender on a WA driver's license, so if the driver's license works to change the password, then the letter will suffice, albeit indirectly.

Letter works for DL her too but I was told that won't work for passport. They need birth cert and DL.

I am lucky because my birth state will change my BC after surgery. I would say do the best you can with your birth state so if anyone ever looks it will show you tried. With a correctly gendered DL, SS and passport if you travel you should be OK. Surgery and letters can do this and with these it is unlikely you will be asked for your BC. If you are for the real ID program DMV will likeky be ok with what your state requires. I have never been asked for my BC to get a job.

Pam

Quote from: LordKAT on May 03, 2010, 11:00:06 PM
What did it take to get a correct passport? I have DL and SS with correct gender on it. I have never had a passport if that matters.

Either a letter from your surgeon saying you had some kind of "irreversible gender surgery" and/or a letter from a doctor saying your transition is "complete". If they mark your transition as "incomplete", the passport is only good for a year. This is what I remember looking into it. I haven't received mine back yet.

Quote from: Nero on May 04, 2010, 12:24:51 PM
Either a letter from your surgeon saying you had some kind of "irreversible gender surgery" and/or a letter from a doctor saying your transition is "complete". If they mark your transition as "incomplete", the passport is only good for a year. This is what I remember looking into it. I haven't received mine back yet.

(Emphasis is mine.)  I like this option.  I won't be having surgery for another year or so (school is severely in the way).  But I need to be legally male as much as I can (also for school).  I can get a letter stating that my transition is complete if that will work for a passport.  Do you know if that wording will that also work for social security?

Quote from: Adio on May 04, 2010, 12:40:25 PM
(Emphasis is mine.)  I like this option.  I won't be having surgery for another year or so (school is severely in the way).  But I need to be legally male as much as I can (also for school).  I can get a letter stating that my transition is complete if that will work for a passport.  Do you know if that wording will that also work for social security?

I'm not sure whether you have to have had surgery as well as the letter. Sorry for being unclear.  :( The 'incomplete transition' option for the passport is for people who need to leave the country (presumably for SRS). You would have a year with that one.

Quote from: Nero on May 04, 2010, 02:35:47 PM
I'm not sure whether you have to have had surgery as well as the letter. Sorry for being unclear.  :( The 'incomplete transition' option for the passport is for people who need to leave the country (presumably for SRS). You would have a year with that one.

It's okay.  I might just try and see.  The worst they can do is say no and ask for my surgery letter (which I won't have).  I'll just have to try again later once I have it if that's the case.

I am having an orci with Dr. Bowers soon and the letter she gives you states you have had irreversible genital surgery and that your gender is now female. This definately works with Social Security and will work with my birth state for changing my BC. I am moving to Washington and they told me they would not require a "female birth certificate" to change you DL marker if they got a letter from the birth State saying they would not change the birth certificate. I am having SRS later but a orci aids in transition and solves most ID problems. Of course this is a personal decision made with you and your gender therapist. An orci is much less expensive than SRS.
Pam