Name Change Project helps with legal obstacles in transgender transitions

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2015/01/04/Name-Change-Project-helps-with-legal-obstacles-in-transgender-transitions/stories/201412300063

By Rich Lord / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, January 4, 2015 12:00 AM

The name on the cards in the wallet was decidedly masculine. The person carrying the wallet, though, had started a journey to a female identity.

"When I said my [old] name, they would look at me funny and say, 'You're a guy, right?' " said the newly renamed Sheala Dawn Reinertson, 32, of Clairton. "It made it very difficult. ... I wanted to change it as soon as possible."

Ms. Reinertson is a patient care technician, not a lawyer. In 2013, "I was looking at the papers saying, 'What the hell do I do? How the hell do I fill these out right?' " she said.

Speak of the devil, I got an intake appointment with the Name Change Project tomorrow.

Will have to let others know how it went.

It says they do it across the many states?

It's in a few mostly eastern states.  Would love to see it expanded to help more people.  Seems like a great project.

http://www.transgenderlegal.org/work_show.php?id=7

Does anyone else find it sad that a major Pittsburgh area newspaper just published the full names of two trans women who wanted to not be outed as trans?

Quote from: Dee Walker on January 05, 2015, 02:06:31 PM
Does anyone else find it sad that a major Pittsburgh area newspaper just published the full names of two trans women who wanted to not be outed as trans?

It's sad but it's also a legal requirement in some states to publish a name change. Those laws need to be changed. I need to do the same thing in NJ.

Quote from: ImagineKate on January 05, 2015, 02:55:46 PM
It's sad but it's also a legal requirement in some states to publish a name change. Those laws need to be changed. I need to do the same thing in NJ.

True, but the article specifically said that one of them had gotten an exemption from that requirement.

Oh, right, the article. If they were interviewed, you'd think they would have consented, no?

Three possibilities exist here.

One is that they used pseudonyms. Another is that they consented but didn't realize that they'd be outed this way. The final one is that the newspaper screwed up and published their names...

Well, I had this on a fav link and only just got to this now... would've been nice if they did this for people world wide or and not to sound selfish but, at least the state (no city requirement) of GA. Does anyone know if there's a program like this for the state of GA?

Quote from: Shana-chan on January 16, 2016, 05:14:20 PM
Well, I had this on a fav link and only just got to this now... would've been nice if they did this for people world wide or and not to sound selfish but, at least the state (no city requirement) of GA. Does anyone know if there's a program like this for the state of GA?

I'm not aware of one in Georgia. I will probably use a local family law attorney if they can get the four week publishing requirement waived.

Quote from: BeverlyAnn on January 16, 2016, 07:27:09 PM
I'm not aware of one in Georgia. I will probably use a local family law attorney if they can get the four week publishing requirement waived.

What do you think the odds are that'll work? I mean, personally I'd love to not have to be outted to the whole area but, until someone goes to court and actually challenges this I don't think that'll happen for me at least...

Oh, one other thing I forgot to say regarding that article, it's clear to me that either that person got SRS or lives in a state that let's you change the sex that's listed on your IDs without SRS because I heard in the state of GA, you have to have SRS... again someone needs to get this changed in court, both of these things... (Seeing as I'm poor that won't be me)

Quote from: Shana-chan on January 16, 2016, 09:00:48 PM
What do you think the odds are that'll work? I mean, personally I'd love to not have to be outted to the whole area but, until someone goes to court and actually challenges this I don't think that'll happen for me at least...

Oh, one other thing I forgot to say regarding that article, it's clear to me that either that person got SRS or lives in a state that let's you change the sex that's listed on your IDs without SRS because I heard in the state of GA, you have to have SRS... again someone needs to get this changed in court, both of these things... (Seeing as I'm poor that won't be me)

I don't know but I can ask the attorney.  You are correct that Georgia requires a court order or physician's letter specifying date of surgery for gender marker change on DL and change of birth certificate.  As far as name change goes, Trans Georgia Legal Aid does have an poverty affidavit form to ask the court to waive all fees.

Quote from: Myarkstir on January 04, 2015, 08:07:33 AM
Name Change Project helps with legal obstacles in transgender transitions

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2015/01/04/Name-Change-Project-helps-with-legal-obstacles-in-transgender-transitions/stories/201412300063

By Rich Lord / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, January 4, 2015 12:00 AM

The name on the cards in the wallet was decidedly masculine. The person carrying the wallet, though, had started a journey to a female identity.

I did my own name change and it was the most difficult legal thing I've ever done and I still have to make the judgement executory in my birth state to get my birth certificate updated.  The whole thing is absurd. 

"When I said my [old] name, they would look at me funny and say, 'You're a guy, right?' " said the newly renamed Sheala Dawn Reinertson, 32, of Clairton. "It made it very difficult. ... I wanted to change it as soon as possible."

Ms. Reinertson is a patient care technician, not a lawyer. In 2013, "I was looking at the papers saying, 'What the hell do I do? How the hell do I fill these out right?' " she said.