How strange ...

[Nigella]

... did you find seeing your true gender in print when you got the document?

It never sank in for me on any printed documents when I saw the female pronouns, however, the new birth certificate was a different matter, for the first time I felt right, complete. I was officially recognised as female.

Many documents in the UK carry codes or gender markers to identify male or female, however, none of them, with the exception of the birth certificate are a legal definition of gender.

The UK system for obtaining a new birth certificate is via a panel and presentation of evidence of living in the new gender, along with a medical report stating if surgery has been done or reasons for a non surgical application. The medical report should be completed by a gender specialist unless you can provide evidence of over 6 years RLE, if this is the case your GP can complete the medical report.

[Jennifer-GWN]

Nigella;

I'll compare experiences in a few weeks when I expect mine to come back. My name has always been my name deep inside. what I did have as quite a teary moment was finalizing on my middle name. This had never been a thought or consideration of need. Here my application expected a middle name entry so pause for thought. My first thought was somewhat easy while at the same time missing something. I started with a tie to my dad whose middle name is actually a female name...no idea why. The more I pondered the more I felt my mom should also be represented so hence a hyphenated middle name consisting of my dad and mom. Put it on paper and looking at it cause quite an emotional reaction.

I expect on delivery of my final documents a similar if not more emotional moment as it solidifies so much and becomes official despite my name already being changed at work. Of course then will come the eye rolling administration associated with water falling this one moment in time through out the rest of what is official in my life. One of those being my Passport which for me is the single most used document in my life.

Cheers... Jennifer

[PretzelGirl]

It was an emotionally striking moment for me. I have been going by Sue since logging on here. I was out in the community a lot, so I was being called Sue regularly and it was completely sunk in. When my doctor gave me a letter for my passport that said I was female, it was a tool, so that didn't hit me. Getting my name change was great as it was the commitment to being me, but I didn't have my gender on it. Then I filed for my passport and received it in the mail 10 days later. Name, Gender Marker, and picture in one glance and that really hit me. I have to admit, being referred to as "she" still gets my attention. Not because I don't feel it, as I do. But almost in recognition of the courtesy and recognition from the other person. Almost in the sense that I want to thank them for their consideration. One of the final things hanging on that will fade eventually.

[I Am Paula]

The day my name change arrived, I had all my ducks in a row, and went straight out to get all new I.D. It was easy, and painless. When I got home, I laid out all my new I.D. On my desk. Everything with my new name AND gender. It was then that the emotion hit me. Suddenly it was all more real than it had been. I wasn't pretending, or playing at something. This was ME! It took me a few minutes, wow, even the envelope with my B. Cert. said Ms. Paula...
My I.D. Has been in my wallet a good while now, but I cherish it.

[Dianne S]

For me, it was just a little odd seeing "Female" on my driver's license. I really expected to have a strong emotional reaction, but I didn't. I just thought "Oh, that's weird. No, actually, that's cool."

[Beth-Lock]

For me, it was just a little odd seeing "Female" on my driver's license.

The penny dropped, when I realized that I had gone to an awful lot of trouble just to become, officially, a "woman driver," a status much maligned and made fun of! I thought that was not necessarily bad, but instead made me feel all the more like a real woman.

[Brooklyn]

My name change wasn't a huge deal because Ashley is my birth name, but the gender-marker change was surreal because I had only about 6-12 months of RLE at that point. Having an 'M' on my driver's license had become a problem though, and I needed the court order to update everything from my bank account to my medical records. I dreaded an encounter with the police.

I was born in a state that will only update the gender shown on a birth certificate with proof of SRS/GRS, and still it will be noted as an amendment to the original document at that point. I imagine it will be the seal on my transition when I finally am holding that paper in my hands.

[Jorja]

I have explained this before but here it is again. In 1978 Hawaii had a trial program with birth certificates and TS people. A friend who was then a State Senator told me about it. I applied and got my birth certificate changed to female and I already knew my name was going to be Jorja. I never received a copy of it. Just a letter saying it had been done. Several years later I needed my birth certificate for something (probably a passport and visa). They sent me a copy. There it was in all of it's glory. Jorja and female. By that time I had been me for so long it was no big deal.

[PretzelGirl]

We have some lawyers locally that take an interesting approach on the amended birth certificate. They get it changed, get a copy, then get the records sealed. So you have a copy if you need it, but no one can go pull it and see your past. The danger is if you lose your copy and need another. A bit of money to get it unsealed again.

[Angela Campbell]

It was fairly easy for me to get the birth certificate change. In Georgia, the requirement is surgery that changes the gender. My plastic surgeon who did my ffs provided the letter, which by Florida law does not give details on exactly what procedure was done.

They accepted it and a few months later I had one with my new name and gender.

Yes, that was a really big thing to me, boosted my confidence and helped with the Gd. Probably as big as either of my surgeries or going full time.

[Kris Avery]

I decided to start another thread rather than replying with my comment here.

Yes, it was a HUGE deal for me to see the updated IDs with picture and gender marker correct.
I won't likely forget when or where I was when I got the first one.

Wendy

[Debb]

I haven't gotten my name changed, but ... I can relate to the experience of seeing your name in paperwork. My therapist has given me a few letters, one a "get out of jail" sort of letter to explain that I am a pre-op transsexual in treatment; you know, to use if someone objects to me using the right restroom.

It has my name (Deb), and uses the right pronouns. I about cried when my therapist handed it to me and I read it. First time I'd seen "Ms (lastname)", etc. It was such a clear moment.