The Administrative Code as of 1991 had said that the original birth certificate was not to be amended in cases of sex change surgery, but that a new one should be issued instead, with the old one being sealed. I assume this must have been changed at some point, or what the Registrar’s office is doing with merely crossing out the old info and adding the new would be strictly against the Code, but I haven’t been able to find any such change to the Code online. Does anyone know where I can find this? Probably in a back issue of the Illinois Register, but any idea of about when it occurred? It’s archived online, but as PDF files and not easily searchable across issues. Also, does anyone know where I can learn about the process for changing the Code, and whether any attempt is being made to undo this change?

Therefore, they’re still going to face possible harrassment issues.

There are several states that will issue a completely new birth certificate (such as GA), but IL currently does not. I think these women need to make sure to request that IL issue them completely new birth certificates (as well as allowing other trans patients to get new certificates) so as to avoid the discrimination and abuse they know will happen with their current situation.

I have seen the many positives in people, and I have experienced more negatives than I cared to accept would be possible.

Prior to now, I believed the issue that is before us was the end of the whole transition and I could just blend back into life afterward (change my name again if necessary) and raise my children. What I have recently learned is a secondary issue of “Legal Gender” that is now being determined by the courts.

I didn’t go to Thailand to be the person that took this issue on. In my case (specific to the Birth certificate) – I showed up on one of the Gender Mismatch reports from Homeland security and my employer insisted on seeing my birth certificate. The medical care in Thailand is incredible, and since most of my life is public venue now, I was not a candidate for Inversion (what is done here in the United States developed in 1958)

The procedures in Thailand moved away from the Inversion approach about 15 years ago. They continue to improve, and it was the best possible MEDICAL decision on my part.

The other option here in the states would have been to take a section of my colon and use that section as part of my vaginal canal. Why would anyone want to risk scaring that could cause bowel obstruction, scaring, and a lifetime of possible complications when there was a safer procedure… For a rule that said the surgeon (and surgery) doesn’t count because it wasn’t by a US licensed Physician.

For almost a year I wasn’t considered truly “anything” by insurance so a whole lot of normal everyday medical care was denied as not being male or female… I didn’t count.

Things like the birth certificate have far reaching consequences. BTW ~ look up what’s been happening with “Legal Gender” now that really takes the cake.

Sincerely,

Karissa

am i making sense?

Until that gender marker is removed from all forms of ID, these hassles will continue for all gender-nonconforming people (not just trans).

but.

the thing is, everything is currently assigned by gender. gender will NOT be removed from birth certificates until the marriage issue is resolved – that is, until any (adult) can marry any other (adult). at which point, most of the REASON for the gender record is pretty much freaking gone.

how nice will it be to grow up in a world where you aren’t told, from BEFORE YOU ARE FREAKING BORN, that you are whichever and gender and thus MUST act like it? i mean, on this my parents were great, and never ever told me that i couldn’t do anything just because i was a girl – i was REQUIRED to get straight As (really, i got grounded for B+s), i was REQUIRED to be better than everyone else in my class, male or female. but there were still OTHER gender expectations. my mother’s life plan for me (before we found out that pregnancy would kill me) was Ph.D, marriage, two kids, then a great career as i raised the kids – my career would necessarily be something flexabil… she envisioned me doing genetic research at a lab where i worked only while the kids were in school. it never occured to her that i would not want this – i was female, i MUST want to be a mother (the thought of being a mother gives me hives). what if could have grown up without that, or the sexual abuse of my stepfather, or without all the guys i had class with resenting me, not because i was smarter (or at least scored higher) but because i was a GIRL and a GIRL did better than they?

if we get marriage fixed – if we can get the heternormativity of it erased – then we really CAN have that world. THAT is the world i want.

Well, eastsidekate, you should know that I practice interamory, which is kind of like polyamory for internet gfs, but without all the bickering. If you’re down with that, then you can be one of my internet gfs. We are all moving to a heavily fortified compound in InterNewMexico in about three years. Your responsibility will be… let’s see. Dessert and After-Dinner Morale Activity #1.