I put down "more accurate reflection of my identity."

@Cindy James: What you said about not being able to change your name simply because you don't like it may be applicable in Australia, but it's not in the U.S. I've known a handful of people (not trans) who have legally changed their name successfully simply because they didn't like it. (In most places in the U.S. as long as you're not giving hints of doing it for fraudulent reasons it's usually OK, although a few anti-trans judges have tried to push their buttons by coming up with other excuses to deny a transgender's name change.) Also, the U.S. (despite many areas being homophobic with regards to gay marriage) has no requirement that you not be married to change your gender marker (this means that in some cases a MTF-GF or FTM-GM marriage would be legal but a MTF-GM or FTM-GF one would not be!).

Quote from: tgchar21 on August 04, 2012, 08:35:13 AM
@Cindy James: What you said about not being able to change your name simply because you don't like it may be applicable in Australia, but it's not in the U.S. I've known a handful of people (not trans) who have legally changed their name successfully simply because they didn't like it. (In most places in the U.S. as long as you're not giving hints of doing it for fraudulent reasons it's usually OK, although a few anti-trans judges have tried to push their buttons by coming up with other excuses to deny a transgender's name change.) Also, the U.S. (despite many areas being homophobic with regards to gay marriage) has no requirement that you not be married to change your gender marker (this means that in some cases a MTF-GF or FTM-GM marriage would be legal but a MTF-GM or FTM-GF one would not be!).

Many of us are hoping that mandatory divorce will be banned. Yet it is only relatively recently that SRS could only be performed on 'non-married' people (in Australia) . A total disgrace.  In my case I have been happily married for 30 years. I think it is a diabolical cruelty that I'm forced to divorce to change my gender marker, when our relationship has been profound and lasting. Yet some of these Hollywood types can legally marry and then divorce in weeks for paid publicity. In my mind that is immoral, while my relationship has been wonderful and loving.


The actual document says under "Reasons for Changing Name: says 'personal reasons'  is not allowed. So sorry my statement was incorrect, you have to give a reason and I presume that could be that you don't like the name you were give, which sounds reasonable to me BTW.


But I do think going through the legal channels is necessary if you intend to travel Internationally.