Illinois Issues New Birth Certificates To Trans Litigants

Filed By Dr. Jillian T. Weiss | July 20, 2011 9:30 AM

http://www.bilerico.com/2011/07/illinois_issues_new_birth_certificates_to_trans_li.php

In May, I reported on an ACLU lawsuit against the Illinois Department of Public Health for refusing to correct birth certificates of transgender and transsexual people, requiring proof they have undergone a series of sex-reassignment surgeries before they can change the sex marker on their birth certificates.

That lawsuit has paid off, and the three ACLU of Illinois clients soon will receive new birth certificates from the Division of Vital Records of the Illinois Department of Public Health that reflect their correct gender. A Cook County Circuit Court Judge ordered this remedy last week. Lauren Grey (pictured on right), Victor Williams and Nicholas Guarino all will receive new birth certificates under the order.

However, the lawsuit's result comes after a very unusual defense by the State of Illinois.

More good news! IIRC, Illinois was one of the first states in the country to start granting this right. It was honestly bewildering how regressive they'd become in the past decade.