well okay, i have a lllloooonnggg criminal record and i know i have to hand it in with all my papers for the legal things to go thru.  does anyone know if i can be denied my change in sex or name because of my extensive record or are they just being thorough?  i live in hamilton ontario and i just don't know the full "rules".  any comments, suggestions would be great. make a great day everyone. 

Brody, our Wiki is a great source of information, the Staff over there digs up all sorts of good stuff.  I scanned through this and saw that Ontario has an online name change wizard. Hope this helps, hugs, Devlyn

https://www.susans.org/wiki/Category:Documentation_changes

Quote from: Devlyn Marie on September 15, 2013, 10:42:04 AM
Brody, our Wiki is a great source of information, the Staff over there digs up all sorts of good stuff.  I scanned through this and saw that Ontario has an online name change wizard. Hope this helps, hugs, Devlyn

https://www.susans.org/wiki/Category:Documentation_changes

Much thanks Devlyn, pssttt...love your name....thoughtful of you.  checking it out as we speak.  thanks again.

If you were changing your name simply because you didn't like it you'd likely face obstacles (and someone like you probably wouldn't be able to use this strategy if you lived in a less-than-TG-friendly area). Since you have a very good reason to change your name you'll probably ultimately get it approved (assuming you don't get a transphobic judge), but you may have a few extra hurdles to jump that someone without a criminal record wouldn't. Also, unless where you live has a special procedure (like what the UK has where you can give the sensitive details directly to the agency) you'll probably have to out yourself anytime an employer, etc. wants to do a criminal background check on you (if you don't mention your former name when you have a record under it you could face troubles with being accused of trying to hide your criminal history; the same would apply with any other aliases your record is under).

First you need to get diagnosed or at lest go and talk to someone about why you 'need' to change your gender, before thinking your police record will stop you.

I would say they ask you this (they did me when I was being diagnosed by UK NHS doctors) to make sure you are not changing your gender, thinking that will be your police record, gone forever.

You may even find that all the things you did that gave you a police record are linked to 'needing' to change your gender. May sound stupid, but I've read stories about other M2F's who did things in their lives, that were linked to 'needing' to change there gender.

When I look back I've done things in my life and that is why I know it can be linked to gender change.

Hope you get to where you want to be xx