My girlfriend Elaine (MTF) and I don't intend to get genital reassignment surgery as it stands right now, but we both want to get our legal documents changed.

It's easy for me because my top surgery can be considered my SRS, but I don't know about Elaine. She is considering an Orchiectomy, and I've read this and that and in between saying that yes it can be SRS, no it can't, blah blah blah.

She has a South Carolina certificate, we live in Virginia. South Carolina requires SRS and a name change, and they'll attach a little card saying 'hey you're a girl now enjoy' on the certificate instead of issuing a new one.

I read that sometimes all you need to do is have your surgeon word it in a way that says an irreversible genital surgery has been preformed to change so and so's gender to female, with an orchi. Has anyone done it? Because at the trans support group (Which all of them were FTMs and one androgyn, plus they're VA residents and not SC) most of them said that MTFs have to get full SRS to change the certificate, which I was doubtful of (or, crossing my fingers it wasn't so)

In short, can an orchiectomy be considered SRS, at least in SC? Or is she going to have to get the whole shabang anyways

Well it would depend on how the law is written.  After my Orchie, I got the SSA to change my gender because my letter stated "irreversible genitalia surgery".  I have not tried the state yet, as that will cost me $140. 

what reason apart from cost does your partner put forward for not wanting SRS?

Sorry Lilac, it's personal

Thanks for the reply, Janet. I'm not sure the exact wording of the law, I haven't found any reference to it yet. The SC Vital Records site says that you have to contact them to see the process for amending certificates to get specific instructions, but I'm going to continue to nose around.

It couldn't hurt to call up the Vital Statistics Office and ask about whether an orchiectomy is considered grounds for a sex marker change. You are anonymous, and though the question may very well be embarrassing to ask, the person on the line doesn't know you, and there's no downside. Sorry, I wish I had the answers. Orchiectomies tend to be grounds for a sex marker change in most jurisdictions.

As far as I know an orchidectomy is Post-op and does qualify. You get a letter from the surgeon just like you get one for SRS.

On the other hand, I wouldn't over advertise what kind of surgery just that it was permanent, etc.

Find a lawyer who works with this stuff in the state where you have to do it and pay them for a half hour of their time to tell you.