Susan's Place Transgender Resources

Hello All,

It's been so long since I have posted. The last time I posted was with last minute fears before my SRS surgery.
Now it's 11 months after surgery and it's unbelievable how much my life has changed.
It's been on of the most trying years of my life but I now find myself living with the man of my dreams and beginning to plan a wedding.  :icon_bunch: :icon_walk:
We met just 6 weeks after my surgery and have been living together the last 9 months due to me getting laid off (a crappy post-op misery side affect)..

Regardless! My fiance and I live in New York City. We plan to get married in about 6 months.
I'm going this week to have the sex changed on my birth certificate (i know, it's taken me a while)...
and I was wondering if any of you can offer me any information, advice or experiences getting married as a post-op in NYC?
If I'm correct it is legal for post-op MtF women to get married to men in New York State, right?
Will I face extra hurdles ?

any info will be appreciated!
Sophie

This is very interesting to me as I also live in NYC > I tried to look for some answers and it look as if in NJ they do allow it but I cant seem to find anything about NYC , but then again I just took a quick lookie :") , I was also interested in knowing if you were born in NYC? If so were you able to change the M to an F ? ,on you BC that is I know on your License you can

Quote from: Suigeniris on December 09, 2010, 07:30:17 PM
This is very interesting to me as I also live in NYC > I tried to look for some answers and it look as if in NJ they do allow it but I cant seem to find anything about NYC , but then again I just took a quick lookie :") , I was also interested in knowing if you were born in NYC? If so were you able to change the M to an F ? ,on you BC that is I know on your License you can

I looked also and didn't find any concrete information about NYS on first inspection.
I was born in NYC, yes. Initially I thought that it was legal to marry post up in NYC.
I was wondering if anyone knew about that process and if blood tests are still needed for marriage licenses and if so how would that affect me?

I haven't gone to change the M to an F on my birth certificate.
I'm going next week in hopes that it will all be finished in time to deal with marriage certificates, so I'll give you an update about how that goes. Going to that court is always a waking nightmare!
I think all i need is the certificate of GRS and i believe a therapy letter as well as an endocrhonologist letter? I could be wrong though.

These might help:

http://usmarriagelaws.com/search/united_states/new_york/ (http://usmarriagelaws.com/search/united_states/new_york/)

http://www.cityclerk.nyc.gov/html/home/home.shtml (http://www.cityclerk.nyc.gov/html/home/home.shtml)

Good luck and congradulations.

Quote from: Sophie Laurette on December 09, 2010, 08:01:06 PM
I looked also and didn't find any concrete information about NYS on first inspection.
I was born in NYC, yes. Initially I thought that it was legal to marry post up in NYC.
I was wondering if anyone knew about that process and if blood tests are still needed for marriage licenses and if so how would that affect me?

I haven't gone to change the M to an F on my birth certificate.
I'm going next week in hopes that it will all be finished in time to deal with marriage certificates, so I'll give you an update about how that goes. Going to that court is always a waking nightmare!
I think all i need is the certificate of GRS and i believe a therapy letter as well as an endocrhonologist letter? I could be wrong though.

Actually the procedure on changing your gender marker on your birth cerificate differ somewhat for those born in New York City, and for  those that were born in other parts of the state.

For New York city:

You will need:

a) Court Order granting name change (Original or certified copy)

b) Detailed Surgical Operative Letter from SRS surgeon - The letter needs to go into great detail as to the specifics of your surgical procedure. In some instances you may need to submit your operative and medical records from that hospital. For the women who have GRS in foreign countries, you are strongly encouraged to procure your records before leaving the country.

c) Post Operative Examination signed by a physician other than SRS surgeon, ie. a doctor other than the original doctor who performed your surgery.

d) Post Operative Psychiatric Evaluation - This can be a short letter from a psychiatrist, psychologist, though not sure if a LICSW wil suffice, and quite frankly not sure why this is needed.

e) The cost is $15 per certified copy, plus a $5.55 mailing and service charge per order. If you want delivery by a carrier who will provide service within 2 - 3 days, there will be an additional $15.00 shipping and handling charge. If not, please allow up to one week for your request to be processed and mailed.

f) Copy of valid photo ID - Drivers license, Passport, these must all be current and signed.(See application for additional forms of acceptable ID.)

Here is the form:

http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/downloads/pdf/vr/birth1.pdf (http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/downloads/pdf/vr/birth1.pdf)

Contact:

Edna Timbers
etimbers@health.nyc.gov

Her telephone number is (212) 788-4520.

or:

Steven Schwartz, Ph.D.
Registrar and Director
Office of Vital Statistics and Epidemiology
sschwart@dohlan.nycnet.ci.nyc.ny.us

I was born in NYC, and have had my birth certificate changed, and have also helped other women have their's changed. It is not a particularly difficult procedure and all of the clerks that you will deal with are respectful, professional, and you most definitely will not be unique in having your records amended.

I have also been married, albeit in another state. Once you have your records amended you will be able to get married just like any other woman, no civil union, or domestic partnership, a regular marriage, with all that it encompasses.

As to New York State:

State of New York
Department of Health, Vital Records Section
Corning Tower
Empire State Plaza
Albany NY 12237

Mr. Peter Carucci
Director
Vital Records Section
pmc02@health.state.ny.us

Return the completed application, with fees as indicated on the application, and the following documents (all "original or certified copy"):
the court order for name change, bearing the court seal, certified by the clerk of the court. Certified proof of publication is also required.

The court order must include original name, date and place of birth.

The letter from your SRS surgeon, specifying date, place, and type of procedure.

The actual OPERATIVE REPORT from your SRS.

A letter from your primary therapist "documenting true transsexualism or inappropriate sexual identification."

A letter from your endocrinologist or other medical physician "concerning hormonal, chromosomal or endocrinological information."

Once these documents are received, a "medical review" will be performed, and your new certificate issued. Processing takes approximately three months. One certified copy will be provided following the amendment; any additional copies are $15.00 each.

As I stated above the good news is that many have walked in your shoes before you, and paved the way.

Congrats on your impending nuptials.  :)

Quote from: Sophie Laurette on December 09, 2010, 08:01:06 PMI haven't gone to change the M to an F on my birth certificate.
I'm going next week in hopes that it will all be finished in time to deal with marriage certificates, so I'll give you an update about how that goes. Going to that court is always a waking nightmare!
I think all i need is the certificate of GRS and i believe a therapy letter as well as an endocrhonologist letter? I could be wrong though.

I did mine within days of returning from my SRS.  Hate to sound mean, but why did you put it off?  I couldn't wait to get that new birth certificate (and new driver's license) in hand.  The best part is I got mine for FREE.  My state considered it an update on my previous name change decree and hence there was no charge for the new decree.  Okay, to be precise the court decree was free, the city charged me $12 for the actual birth certificate.  I made the changes at the Social Security office while I was still in Trinidad, just a week after surgery.  Your notarized surgical letter should be all they need.

http://www.tsroadmap.com/reality/birth-certificate.html (http://www.tsroadmap.com/reality/birth-certificate.html)

Congratualtions on all the good things and commisserations on losing your job, Sophie.  Good luck.

Peggy, Thank you for the great information. I had actually been in touch with Edna Timbers this week with questions and she was very helpful. Before that I had only been finding outdated information that was making me so worried (and sad!)

Beyond,  The reason I put if off for so long was because after my surgery last year I spent some months with my family at their home (away from NYC where I need to make all these changes). Aside from that the last year has been such an extreme whirlwind after surgery... and I must admit that meeting my boyfriend/future husband just 7 weeks out of surgery has been a major distraction for me from the nitty gritty reality of BC changes. Also, my driver's license had already been changed to Female years prior so I didn't feel like I was without identification. I attempted to start the birth certificate process a few months ago but NYC requires a battery of documentation I was not prepared with at the time.

and Lilac... THANK YOU!

X - Soph

Yes Peggy that was alot of GReat info.  thanx :")) xoxoxo