Changing gender marker in Austin, TX

[PrincessKatrina]

A few years ago while I was in Uni, the same lawyer-for-students who helped me with my name change told me that there was a judge in Austin, TX (where I need to go to have the changes made on my birth certificate in the first place) who was willing to give court orders for gender marker change without requiring SRS first (still have to have done HRT, be living in the preferred gender role, etc.). However, because of other things going on in my life and financial reasons, I was never able to make the trip to Austin to get this done and I've sense lost the information on which judge it was. As I'm no longer a student at that University, I can't really go to a lawyer there (and I've been told by another student that that particular lawyer is no longer at that university) and I don't have the finances for any other lawyer, I was wondering if anyone on here might know who the judge is or how to find out. The sooner I can get this information the better as I will be moving to another state (Nevada) in about a month and would like to get this taken care of before I move.

[LizMarie]

I do not know about Austin, but in Houston, Texas, there is Phyllis Frye, who transitioned in the late 1970s and who practices law in Houston. She is also now a judge in Houston as well. She routinely gets name and gender marker changes done so I know it can be done.

If you cannot find someone in Austin, consider calling her office and speaking to a legal assistant. They may either be able to point you to someone in Austin or even handle your case for you.

http😕/www.liberatinglaw.com/

Phyllis has been an activist on behalf of transgender legal issues her entire adult life and is a very supportive and helpful human being. I will be using her for my own legal transition process later this year and have already spoken with their office.

P.S. Please note that these gender marker changes apply to things like driver's licenses, etc. If you were born in another state, that state may have SRS requirements for changing the birth certificate. I was born in West Virginia, for example, which does require SRS to allow a gender marker change on the birth certificate.

[PrincessKatrina]

Thanks. I was born in Texas, which is part of why I'd like to get it done before moving to Nevada. Part of why I was going to take care of it in Austin is because I live near Austin and need to go to Austin anyway to get my name changed on my birth certificate.

This would mostly be to get my marker changed/amended (not sure which/what the difference is...) on my birth certificate. From what I've read, getting my marker changed on my license in Nevada is pretty easy. As such, I may end up waiting a bit further down the line to worry about it in regard to my birth certificate, since one of the worries is my financial situation doesn't really make it easy to do some of this stuff.

[LizMarie]

Definitely chat with a lawyer who is conversant in name/gender change issues in Texas. Texas is a very backwards state when it comes to transgender people and the laws are vague and can be interpreted multiple ways. This is one reason why it pays to have a qualified lawyer who knows where to submit the request (favorable judges) and how to word the request to pass local muster.

It's unfortunate but easier done with a skilled legal hand. Good luck! I'll be following in your path later this year! 🙂

[PrincessKatrina]

Yeah. It was a lot easier to get things done when I was at uni and could go to the on-campus lawyer for free, but can't do that anymore, and have no money. 🙁