If you read the actual protest literature what they are advocating is just a switch from a DSM diagnosis to a physical condition diagnosis and hormones and surgeries would be seen as medically necessary for treatment. Unless of course, just like with any sort of other medical issue, the patient opts out of either treatment.

Monica, I used to be disinterested in birth certificate changes because I didn't feel the need to change mine; and like you, I didn't think there was much use for one much beyond the age of 16.

However, WA. recently changed its requirements to get gender markers changed on driver's licenses. They now want a changed birth certificate to do it (which is absurd). I should quickly add that they're supposed to issue waivers if you cannot get your birth certificate changed. But it's several extra hassles, and the policy is so new that they're not even sure of how to implement it or when to issue the waivers.

I should also add that because of this requirement, WA. has changed its procedure for changing birth certificates. It is no longer required for you to have SRS to get a new WA. birth certificate, making it the easiest state in the country to do so. That's great if you happened to be born in WA., but in today's mobile society, there are many residents here who weren't.

Apparently, there are also other states that won't change your driver's license without a changed birth certificate. And having an incorrect license is a very big deal.

For those of us who live in border states, we have an "enhanced ID" program, so we can use our licenses instead of a passport. That program is probably not an option for those of us with "hinckey" birth certificates.

My surgeries were the removal of my gallbladder and my knee being worked on. That's the surgeries I was talking about. Any surgery related to me being trans is not payed for by my insurance. (You missed the "pre-op" sentence.) And, if a person can see what was on my original birth certificate, how is that any better then an unchanged one? Since I'm still pre-op, it is still with its original info anyway. Post or pre, I'll always have a birth certificate that would out me. That's a thrill . . . not.

And, the state department will give you a one-year passport with the "F" on it if you are going overseas for surgery. Why would you need a passport after that?

You may be able to get a correct US passport anyway, regardless of an incorrect Birth Certificate. Others have.

Remember also that having a BC corrected will not be recognised in a number of jurisdictions.

Transsexuality - "GID" - has a problem with its basic definition as a mental rather than a congenital physical condition. That is, in order to qualify for surgery, you must be "diagnosed" with the "mental illness" GID. But if "mentally ill", you cannot give informed consent, so cannot consent to such surgery. They have to make an exception saying that you're not actually mentally ill, except you are for the purposes of diagnosis.

This glaring contradiction has been present for decades, and it's only a matter of time before it's used to legislatively prevent surgery, as well as removing existing human rights from trans people, as it is being now.

BTW - I'm unable to get my BC corrected too. But I have a correct passport etc. It took a court case for this, but it can be done in some jurisdictions. Good luck with yours, and if I can help in any way, please let me know.

Please forgive and correct me if I'm getting you wrong. You are saying that you "suffered" from GID and were cured by SRS. After SRS you are (excuse the phrase) just another woman?

As a gay man I am enriched by the GL community.

What you are saying is that in your current reality you don't feel that the GL community addresses your life while you are still hopefully supportive of our goals? (I leave out the T because there is such a thing as Post-T)

So to put it like Denzel Washington in Philadelphia who asked clients to explain it like he was a six year old -- You're saying you had GID and your treatment (SRS) cured you. You are cured so there is no stigma.

Well that's the way i understand it.

Sorry you're getting jumped on here. I hope you're still listening, though, because I just went through the process of changing my passport and thought I'd offer you my experience, as well. I can certainly say that even without going through the temporary passport, it was quite a hassle. It took 3 months when my cissexual partner applied at the same time and got hir passport in 2 weeks. And in the end, I only got it when I did because they finally agreed to pay their extortion -- ehem, expedition fee.

I don't know about the temporary passports, but my experience leads me to believe that it's simply a trans-ignorant if not transphobic bureaocratic mess that requires a lot of patience. And of course, like almost all government bureaocracies, it's based entirely on surgery -- which in most cases is the real hard part.

I've heard that sometimes different passport officials make up new rules on the spot, at least when I went through it, though, it had nothing to do with birth certificates or even state law. The only thing they wanted was a letter from a surgeon (either saying you've had SRS or, for the temporary passport, that you are about to). Unless you run into a passport official who's being a jerk, it shouldn't matter what state you are in or what's on your BC.

Good luck with your court case, too. Though, you might want to be careful about references to the ADA, as it specifically has an exemption written into it that nothing in the act applies to GID. That's one of the reasons why I prefer when I can to argue for fair treatment as a matter of equal protection, human dignity, and ethically necessity. Though, I certainly know that some jurisdictions, at least at this point in time, won't listen to that at all, so I'm willing to support people in using whichever argument is most effective in the situation.

Renee,
Thank you for calling me young. I am not as experienced around these thing as I should be. Thanks for clearing up the stigma part.

I wasn't trying to disrespect Anonymous T girl. I rambled a bit too much and my question got lost.