Gender change on documents like Social Security, Birth Certificate, ect.

[Walter]

I hope this won't come off as a lame question but..I thought I would ask anyway

I was born in California, and I currently live in Arizona. My transition doesn't look like it will be in the near future, but I would love to try and make any kind of progress towards it without my dad knowing. I have made a legal name change (to a name that will do for now, but if I ever start to transition, I want to change it again) so I guess the next step would be to see a therapist. I'm not too sure, and I can't really look into it right now since I can't do anything about my transition since I still live my parents including my dad. But since I have made a legal name change, I was just curious to ask. How do you go about legally changing your gender? I don't mean physically or anything, I mean on papers and whatnot. Would I need to be on hormones first? Or would I even have to have surgery first? I have heard that you need like a letter from your doctor to send to the place where you get your birth certificate to get that changed, but in order to receive such a letter, do I have to be on hormones or need to have surgery in order to be able to change my gender legally?

I'm hoping for the best that I wouldn't have to go on hormones or anything to do it (I could go to a therapist without my dad knowing, so if that would do...) but by the way my transition path looks, I don't think it will be that way but I thought I would ask to get opinions. I know it differs by state, so that's why I mentioned my state information at the beginning of the topic. Any comments, opinions, ect would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

~Antonio

[Autumn]

When you change your name legally, you will start receiving junk mail addressed to Mr.

If you have insurance, or when you get insurance, you may have difficulty receiving female care, such as examinations, tests, and possibly a breast reduction for medical purposes (if you are heavily endowed and can prove a history of pain you can get the reduction covered sometimes.) Birth control will also be an out of pocket expense.

If your voice doesn't pass, expect LOTS of fraud alerts when you call banking/credit institutions. Boy, that's fun.

Hiring on to new jobs may be very interesting as well.

Ladies' clubs who don't allow unescorted men in might require you bring a date. 

I am just trying to think of what repercussions there may be, given it were possible. I don't think people generally check Gender on DLs, they check the # if they need it, or the age, name, and picture if carding you...

[LordKAT]

social Security requires letter from your surgeon.

[pamshaw]

My opinion is you should change your name when you are serious about transition. Your therapist will guide you with this. Some states will allow you to change gender with a letter from your therapist, others want surgery. SS will change you gender when you have a letter stating you have had irreversible genital surgery. I am having a orci with Dr. Bowers and this works with SS. Birth certificates require surgery but some states will never change them. SS and DL are the most important.

Pam

[Walter]

Ah ok

Wishful thinking, but it was worth asking anyway