I was born in Toledo, Ohio. In fact, the hospital I was born in is only about five minutes from the Ohio-Michigan border. What a difference a border makes! When it comes to Trangendered Law and Ohio, there are many hurdles. When it comes to Transgender Law and Michigan, it is a completely different story.
I am so very grateful that I live in Michigan. I could benefit from living closer to either Detroit or Ann Arbor, but this post isn’t about that. It’s about the law and transgenderism. Living in Michigan means I can easily change my name and gender with very few obstacle, so long as I meet the criteria for being transgender, of course. If I had been born in Michigan, my birth certificate (the old one) would be sealed up and a new one would be issued, no muss, no fuss.
Seeing as I was born in Ohio, the story changes. While my ID, social security and other things are easily being changed to reflect the legal and physical changes I’m undergoing, my birth certificate will not be changed. Ohio will not list my gender as male, no matter the circumstances. It’s a bit of a jip if you ask me. Add in the fact that Ohio doesn’t seal the old certificate. They scratch out your old name, though you can still read it, and attach an addendum sheet with your new name listed.
This makes getting a passport hell. I am unable to marry my longtime girlfriend, because the state refuses to recognize me as male legally without my birth certificate stating that. If I was born in Michigan this wouldn’t be an issue in the least. I can’t use my birth certificate as a form of identification without every agency knowing my private history. It’s a bit disturbing and I have to wonder why nothing is being done by the legal and transgender communities in Ohio.
Right now would be the time to start a campaign to change the law. For the first time, in a long time, the state is run by Democrats, so it’s the ideal time for social change to occur. It doesn’t matter where I move, the birth certificate is from Ohio, so I’ll never have the same shake those in other states have.
With that in mind, only two other states have such harsh, transgender laws. It’s time for Ohio to chance the discriminatory ways. So, if you live in Ohio and think this law sucks, why not contact your state representatives and ask them to change the law? I’ve done it for my old representatives and I’ve even tried contacting a lawyer who had been looking to change the law, but apparently she abandoned all hope of doing that.
If you are transgender and from Ohio, I’d love to hear your story!
[tags]trans, law, transgender, Ohio, ID, name change, discrimination[/tags]
I too live in Ohio and am post op and the state will not budge. In fact when my friend died her birth certificate said her. Old male name with aka her legal name. I stopped paying all state income taxes and sales taxes buy buying everything online or out of state. We have tried for years to get them to change the laws but they won’t so if the state cannot protect me and give me equal rights I will not pay their taxes.
I think it’s time to start writing letters to senators and presidents, and everyone else, ladies and gentlemen. Maybe we can do something on the federal level.
Hey Dominick, I kinda agree with you. I moved to Columbus Ohio from Anchorage Alaska and i’m kinda wishing I would have moved somewhere more…Open. I’m a pre-op Male and I don’t know if you’re still in the Ohio Area but i’d be more then willing to help try changeing the Laws and such. I don’t know where we would start but i know a lot of Trans-Gendered people who would more then likely be willing to help out. And in diffrent states too 🙂 even people who aren’t trans-gendered. I know for one all my friends in alaska would be more then willing to help out. -shrugs-
I live in ohio as well… Well I was born there. I'm currently in the military and stationed elsewhere. I think it's pretty ridiculous that I won't be able to change my birth certificate. It makes things a million times harder than they all ready are.
Ha! I have to write a letter to my Representative for government glass and I am addressing the same issue! Thanks for the insight. Love~
Hello I to am from Ohio and would love to find a way to get my birth certificate to reflect my correct gender. I have written my representatives and would love to speak up for other transgender people in Ohio. I currently work for Wal Mart and transitioned while there I have had a good experiences with my transition there. It is time for Ohio to get out of the stone ages!