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I've almost posted something about my upcoming event twice, only to realize that someone else might feel I was upstaging a post they made that day.
In 62 hours, I will enter courtroom 60 in the county seat, and go before the judge.
I fully expect to walk out with a piece of paper that tells me my legal name is now:
HOLLY H HART,
and go from there to the Department of Motor Vehicles to start the process of getting a driver's license that say the same AND that my gender is F.
After that I will head to Social Security, my banks and then home to continue the process on a lot of other identification.
I will still be living as HIM for a bit longer, as I need to wait until summery weather to move from her, and I will still be working as him.
I am a temp, and despite what is down in black and white as company policy, I do not want to push my luck and lose a couple pf month's pay before quitting.
Wish me luck
Holly
Comments
What state are you living in
What state are you living in Holly? In Oklahoma we have to have surgery before we can change our gender marker on the DL, BC and federal ID.
CaroL
CaroL
Not only that
In case you haven't heard the news today Carol, the State House resoundingly rejected a bill that would have allowed us to get the sex on our birth certificates changed. :(
Karen J.
"Life is not measured by the breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away.”
George Carlin
Was that here in Oklahoma
Was that here in Oklahoma Karen? We have been able to change our BC for quite a few years (after surgery) already.
CaroL
CaroL
Yes, Carol
I read it in either the Tulsa World or the Daily Oklahoman in the last week or so. The papers were the property of the coffee shop where I read them, so I couldn't save the article. But according to the article, the idea that it (the legislative bill) could allow TG people to change their birth certificates was one of the larger arguments used to defeat it in the State House. I did my change in Scandinavia and sidestepped the whole issue.
Karen J.
"Life is not measured by the breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away.”
George Carlin
I guess this means I had
I guess this means I had better get off my duff and get mine changed before it is signed into law, though it would still have to go through the state senate. I shouldn't be surprised that the house, which is the current residence of Sally Kerns, might pass that, but I hope the Senate has more sense. Thanks for the heads up Karen.
CaroL
CaroL
I'm in CA. here, with a
I'm in CA.
here, with a letter from our doctor or therapist, we can change the gender marker on our Driver's License, w/o surgery.
I do not plan on surgery, but want something of this sort before I leave CA, were I was born.
I've got the letter waiting.
It’s not given to anyone to have no regrets; only to decide, through the choices we make, which regrets we’ll have,
David Weber – In Fury Born
Holly
It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice.
Holly
Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
Best wishes.
Just one thing, though. Doesn't DMV 'harmonize' with SSA? I was always told to do the Social Security first and DMV a couple of days later.
That's how it was in Arizona and I have had others here in CA say the same thing.
Janet
Mistress of the Guild of Evil [Strawberry] Blonde Proofreaders
To be or not to be... ask Schrodinger's cat.
Janet
Mistress of the Guild of Evil [Strawberry] Blonde Proofreaders
To be or not to be... ask Schrodinger's cat.
Not exactly
I was actually able to change my name & gender on my driver's license before going to court to get my name changed (I also live in California). Then I went to court, got my name changed, and went to SSA and so on. My gender I can't change with Social Security until after surgery, unless they've changed how that works. Fortunately I was born in a state that allows you to change your gender on your birth certificate (Hawaii), as I think that's required for SSA.
Saless
"But it is also tradition that times *must* and always do change, my friend." - Eddie Murphy, Coming To America
Until May 10, 2 years ago, we could do as Saless mentioned
using form DL328. But then, under the 'benevolent' prodding from Homeland Security, CXA made it mandatory to go to court to do the name change.
The DL329 form that replaced it made it possible to change the gender on the license without going to court, but how many in the community would want to keep their male name and just change the M to F?
Nobody that I know has thought very long about it. That would just raise more questions and sow confusion
It’s not given to anyone to have no regrets; only to decide, through the choices we make, which regrets we’ll have,
David Weber – In Fury Born
Holly
It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice.
Holly
Oh yeah,
I forgot you'd mentioned that before. Thanks for correcting me, I'd hate to give bad info.
Ah, Homeland Security, you gotta love 'em. ;)
Saless
"But it is also tradition that times *must* and always do change, my friend." - Eddie Murphy, Coming To America
That's just wonderfult Holly!!!!
Hope it all goes swimmingly for you with the judge and the rest...
{{Hugs}}
Frank
Wonderful!
I truly hope everything proceeds as you wish! It sounds like it is going well!
Wren
So your documents
will get edited! Congrats and good luck. If you lived in the UK you could change the lot including birth certificate, changing driving licences here is also a doddle.
Leader of the free world, yeah right.
Angharad
Angharad
Uhhhhhmmmmm Angharad
Perhaps before you take a wild swing at Uncle Sam's jaw you might go back and consider other possible outcomes of WWI and II.
Yes - we have our problems. Our politicians have found it very profitable to use religion and bigotry to coax $billions from the masses in campaign contributions. A large percentage of those dollars stay in their pockets when they retire.
GLBT issues are simply marketing ploys for many cynics who don the cape of public service for personal profit.
It's interesting that you would judge our nation by one of the least free of our fifty states while ignoring the wide spectrum offered in others.
Angela Rasch (Jill M I)
Angela Rasch (Jill M I)
Here in NJ
Fixing all those docs is a breeze. Name changing, here in the states, requires a court visit. So that's a tad more difficult than it is for you folks. The DL - that just requires a few hours in line with the right doc/docs (you need two, if you're name is changing as well). The Passport can be fixed by mail. (& given that the judge grants Holly's name/gender corrections - the rest all follow out in CA.)
The complexity comes in when you realize that BC & DL are not federal documents - but state documents... And, as a result, need to be fixed in the right place. The BC where you were born and the DL where you have "legal residence" (or domicile). For me, that means my DL here in NJ - and eventually my BC out in CA.
Adding insult to injury, the rules vary quite a lot - by state. In more than half of the states you can't (currently) fix your BC or DL... In others you can fix one. In some states, fixing your BC causes it to be an "amended" BC... Which appears (Though, there are other reasons to amend a BC - like a typo... This DOES happen, and getting the gender marker wrong is a typo, isn't it?)
Sometimes we lead from the front sometimes from the back. And, sometimes we lead from the front, middle AND back, all at the same time. If you don't believe we're the leader - just go ask someone that KNOWs we are - someone like George W Bush... LOL
Do I wish we had more uniform laws (& and inclusive laws - I want the ones that let me be me, not the ones that say I can't!!!)? Yes, I do... It IS slowly happening over here. But, the difference has to do with the significant differences in how our respective countries are set up... (Ummm. What country do you live in? Wales? UK? ... Just kidding...)
Anne
Oh dear
So if someone were born in a state where changing the BC isn't allowed (See Karen J's comment. I was born in Oklahoma, though I've been an Arkansas resident since I was two -_-), they're out of luck?
Not that I'm nearly as far along on my journey as Ms. Holly by any stretch. Just looking ahead :-)
Unfortunately, yes
I worried about that a bit myself, when I realized it was based on the state you're born in instead of where you live, because I was born in Hawaii, though I've lived in California pretty much all my life. But it turns out Hawaii and California both allow changes to the BC, so I got lucky there. Hopefully things will change soon and everyone will be able to change their BC & DL, but I suppose that's probably a while off yet.
Saless
"But it is also tradition that times *must* and always do change, my friend." - Eddie Murphy, Coming To America
In CA, changing the gender on the Birth Certificate
takes more than the Court ordered name change. It still takes some form of medical intervention to more or less make it impossible to completely revert back to the original gender. At one time that meant SRS/GRS. Later, it became possible with just an orchiectomy, and the SF Transgender Law Center seems, so I've been told, to have even gotten it done with just breast implants.
I just decided to do it NOW, because I am leaving CA, and some of the changes will be easier while I am still here before I change my address.
Annette, as far as changing the name and gender on the BC< until a couple of years ago, CA required you to be a CA resident to change things, even thought you had been born here, But the 9th District Federal Appeals Court told CA they had to do it even if one born here was no longer a resident. And CA decided not to fight it.
Holly
It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice.
Holly
Many many congrats, Holly
I hope everything goes smoothly for you. I've always known you ONLY as Holly anyway, but getting legalized is cool. Mine should come up sometime this month, God willing.
Hugs 'n love,
Cathy
As a T-woman, I do have a Y chromosome... it's just in cursive, pink script.
That's wonderful...
If my reaction to getting just the gender marker on my DL fixed is any indication, I suspect you'll be floating on air as the documentation is gradually updated for you...
FWIW - NJ also lets one fix the gender marker on the DL with a signature from your therapist or doctor (on the state MVC form). {Legally now - in NJ - I could get into more trouble using the MEN's bathrooms than the women's, even when dressed as a guy... So, I still carry my "carry letter"... But, talk about your confusing situation.)
I still have to go to CA to "fix" my BC, and court (wherever) to fix my name, but those events are "down the road"... I'll likely not be changing the name (legally) until transition at work (or at least coming out there). I was wondering if you had to talk to HR @ your job to insure your pay records were correct, given your name change. (Or, do you just have to worry about adding AKA info to your Tax Returns next year.)
Best wishes to you on this joyous occasion and thank you for sharing.
Anne
Name change
Hi
I remmeber that wonderful day so well. I hope things go well and all your subsequent documents are even easier.
Karen
The Day I Got Mine Changed
The day I got mine changed, I had to go from the Justice Center to the Social Security office and wait twenty four hours until I could go to the DMV and get a new license. In Kentucky, where I live, they won't change Gender markers until SRS and will issue an Amended BC after surgery is complete.
What's in a name...
...Happy for Holly, here here!
Dio vi benedica tutti
Con grande amore e di affetto
Andrea Lena
Love, Andrea Lena
Name changes etc.
In Australia, our BC and DL are state based records like so many places in the US.
To change my name, all I had to do was change my name on my BC. This can be done by mail or in person at the registry where a new certificate is issued immeadiately. This new document includes a history of name changes in a panel on the back.
The gender marker changes after surgery with the appropriate supporting documentation but is not a big deal to do. BDM Victoria takes about 4 weeks to turn that application around and issue new BC in the preferred name and gender. This newest document does not include any history of name changes.
The various state motor registries will change name on presentation of BC and will change gender marker if that info is on it. This can be done on the spot when visiting the registry office.
Other records are no big deal - banks etc don't seem to be fussed about the gender marker if the title is correct. The Tax Office is a little more intransigent regarding changing records, even with supporting documentation.
From what I have read on various message boards over the last decade or so, it seems that so many people in the USA struggle to get this issue resolved easily and that it is a great and stressful drama. All I can say is that was not mine, nor my partner's experience here in Australia.
Yes, I still get addressed as 'Sir' at times by bigots or the blissfully ignorant, but that is usually due to the tone of my voice. Once a TG person can be addressed using female pronouns on the phone, life can be so much sweeter.
Robyn B
Sydney
Robyn B
Sydney
As for banks ... all bets are off.
The credit union I was using, and all other credit unions I visited swore I could not use Holly, or both names because of the Patriot!!! Act after 9/11.
One bank I tried, said, "we'd like to do it, but our computer is not programmed to allow it."
Bank of America had no problem. I've had checks under both names for over 2 years. They could only allow me a debit card under one name, though, so my debit card has been a Hello Kitty card with the name Holly Hart on it, since the day I opened the account ( or at least, when I received it a few days later. And it has Holly's picture on it, too.
Chase said they could do it, until I made it clear I wanted Holly HART. They thought I was going to continue to use my previous last name. (She still let me put Holly Hart on the signature card, and I had checks printed with both names. AND they honored the checks signed by Holly.
Now, interestingly, I was able, with just a phone call, to get Holly added as a second person on my 3 credit cards. The odd one out has no picture, and different account numbers.
The other two were issued by the bank whose computer could not let me use both names on my checking account, and have different pictures depending on the gender, but the same account numbers on the matching cards.
Like I said, all bets are off
Holly
It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice.
Holly
Congrats, Holly!
I am so happy for you! There's nothing like having legal documents that tell the world who you really are!
Lisa