Tag Archives: gender marker

Canadian Trans Girl Gets Amended Birth Certificate; Has Even Bigger Goals

Harriette-Cunningham-transgender-girlHarriette Cunningham, a resident of British Columbia, was able to amend her birth certificate’s gender marker thanks to a change in the law that previously required surgery by transgender individuals. The 11-year-old was first in line when the courts opened to have her documents updated.

“It’s not just a piece of paper. It matters to me to have me properly represented.”

Harriette is a girl on a mission. When she researched her rights in her province, she became frustrated at the surgical requirement and has decided that gender should not be marked on birth certificates at all. She and her family plan to go before the British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal in October along with other activists to fight for a change in the law.

“I want to get gender off the birth certificates so when a child is born they don’t put ‘M’ or ‘F’ on their birth certificate. That would have made it a lot easier for me.”

Let’s hope Harriette and her supporters are able to make a difference in British Columbia and throughout Canada.

Here in the US, the AMA has recently recommended that all states change their laws to allow people to change their gender markers without any surgical requirement. Most states require surgery to have a birth certificate’s gender marker amended. A few states allow for “irreversible medical treatment” which means that hormone therapy is considered enough intervention to warrant a gender marker change. Some states (Idaho, Ohio, and Tennessee) will not allow a marker to be changed even with surgery. You can check your state’s requirements on the Lambda Legal website.

The need for this change in policy affects adults and children differently. (I won’t get into the obvious and terrifying issues affecting adults here such as police harassment and physical violence, because as a mom of a youngster, my knowledge is limited in what transmen and transwomen go through daily.) As more kids are able to transition early, blending in and being able to go through childhood “in stealth” and even through puberty in their teens, their school records are often not updated because of their birth certificates. They can be accidentally outed during roll call by substitutes or on official test records. Getting into a college and receiving the correct living arrangements can become a tangled mess. Because children cannot legally have surgery, they have practically no chance of getting a birth certificate corrected.

I, for one, will be lobbying to get the policy changed where we live. Will you join me and start petitioning in your area, too?

New Jersey Moves on Transgender Birth Certificate Bill

Although at the current time most readers of Transas City are not from the Garden State, what is happening in New Jersey is indicative of the steady progress which transgender people have made in the last five years.

This bill, which would allow changing your gender marker on your birth certificate without mandating SRS, is very progressive, and I hope that it is placed into law. Perhaps a vain hope, unfortunately, since Governor Chris Christie has not proven himself a fan of transgender constituents. But let’s cross our fingers and see.

New Jersey Moves on Transgender Birth Certificate Bill | Advocate.com.

New Resource – Kansas Transition Information

paperwork
I have assembled what information I possess on changing your name and gender marker on official state records in Kansas. Driver’s licenses, state identification cards, concealed carry permits, and tax form information are covered. Note that this information changes from time to time, so if you find it incorrect or outdated at any time in the future, please drop me a line.
Kansas Transition Information

Ireland: Government Publishes Proposed Pro-trans Legislation

Ireland_Trans_protest

Ireland’s government is moving slowly to both allow transpeople to change their birth certificates and have their gender recognized by the State. This has been tried before in Ireland, only to go down in defeat from opposition by the Catholic Church. Let’s hope this time they decide to do the right thin.

Government publishes proposed legislation to recognise transgender people | BreakingNews.ie.

Important News for Veterans – Pentagon Recognizes Transgender Veteran

This is big news for veterans, as apparently it’s now possible to change your gender marker on your military records and Veteran ID cards. At least it worked for Navy Veteran Autumn Sandeen, as explained in the linked

article.

Pentagon Recognizes Transgender Veteran, Advocates See A “Shift”.

UK Court of Appeal Confirms: Stealth Trans People Having Sex are Criminals

NoDeception
Good grief! I saw this running around the web earlier, and found this good site which analyzes the ruling. It appears to be true, and it’s not that much of a surprise, given the UK. Their laws on “deception” prior to sex are fairly draconian, however it’s still unclear to me, and many, to what extent not disclosing your entire gender history is “deception.” Clearly whoever you are having sex with can see what you have and walk away if they want to…correct?
Court of Appeal confirms: Stealth trans people having sex are criminals « Complicity.

Airport Apologizes to Transwoman after Harassment Complaint

From the article:

The Greater Toronto Airports Authority has issued an apology to a well-known member of Toronto’s transgendered community after she complained that she was ridiculed by staff at Pearson International airport.

Enza Anderson, who once ran for mayor against Mel Lastman, told reporters back in May that as she came through the Canada Customs hall at Terminal 3 on April 28, an airport greeter pointed at her and audibly exclaimed to a colleague that she was really a man.

“As soon as I walked in the room one of these greeters started to motion to one of her colleagues and said ‘that’s a guy,’” Anderson told cp24.com Thursday. “From there on it just created a very uncomfortable situation. They were all staring and gawking.”

Airport apologizes to Enza after harassment complaint | CP24.com.

NAACP boss: Voter ID laws put Transgendered Americans at Disadvantage

A couple of interesting quotes from the article.

A 2012 “news flash” at the George Soros-funded Think Progress claims that two out of every five transgender citizens do not have identification that matches their correct gender, due largely to state regulations. “Many of the policies require documented proof of gender reassignment surgery, which not all trans people choose to undergo,” Think Progress said.

NAACP boss: Voter ID laws put transgendered Americans at disadvantage – Spokane Conservative | Examiner.com.

Social Security Administration: SRS No Longer Required for Changing Gender Markers

What’s equally important is this: “NOTE: In some cases an individual’s sex may impact eligibility for benefits dependent upon spousal relationships. To make title II entitlement or title XVI eligibility determinations dependent upon marriage, follow the instructions in GN 00305.005B. Do not use sex field data on SSA records to make marital status determinations.” This means that if you change your SS record, it will NOT change your benefits eligibility, only the actual legal status of your marriage changes it.

via SSA – POMS: RM 10212.200 – Changing Numident Data for Reasons other than Name Change – 06/13/2013.