Administrative nighmares

[Mary]

So I'm sure it's a lot easier in other countries, but please put up with my rant.

 

The law here allows you to change your ID as long as you have letters from 2 doctors stating that you have medically transitioned. That means either hormones or surgical - surgical is not a prerequisite. Great. So now it takes a couple of years to get to that point. Then you need to get all the documents in order. First, the ID card has to be changed. This is because the ID number contains a code that indicates gender. Recently a new law was brought in which allows a non-specific indicator of gender. Wonderful. However, in order to do that, you need to change your birth certificate. This involves going to large, overcrowded and under-staffed centers, where you will need to insist on seeing a senior person, because the juniors don't have a clue. Once you have got that far, if you are really lucky, you might get a new birth certificate in 3 or 4 months. Which, if you're even luckier, won't have errors on it. Otherwise double the time.

 

Now you can apply for a new ID. This is essential, as doing just about everything, from opening a bank account to getting official documents signed, requires photo ID. Of course, after growing hair, change of clothes, hormones and FFS you won't look anything like the original card's photo, so you can't get away with just sticking to the old one (although at least the fingerprints stay the same!)

 

OK, so now you have that. Next, get a new passport. Surprisingly quick, actually. One department that works fairly efficiently.

 

Great. Now change your bank account. A whole series of hoops to jump through, including documents before a commissioner of oaths. Another month or two. Then your will, and the will of anyone who might have mentioned you will also have to be changed. Very quick, fortunately. Now change the details on any property register, otherwise your property looks like it doesn't belong to you. You will have to re-apply for a mortgage, because the old one was under the name of someone who no longer exists. Ditto any loan agreements. ID and various other sworn statements needed, as well as negotiating a whole new set of petty beaurocrats.  Then tackle insurance policies. Things like household insurance fairly simple, but life policies or retirement policies another set of nightmares.

 

If you were married before a certain date, you will need to divorce and remarry, because the old law will not accommodate your change (although the new law does)

 

But you're not finished. You now have to approach your College to get them to change your details on your certificates, otherwise if you try to use your qualifications for anything they won't be accepted. Another few months. Armed with that, you can finally approach your professional registration body to change the details they have, and to re-register you to practice under your new name. (While they are busy with this - another 4 months or so - depending on your work, you may not be able to practice your profession.)

 

And, of course, each step comes with a cost.

 

So, I think if one wants to transition here, one has to be either very young, in which case most of these issues are irrelevant, or very old, in which case they have also become irrelevant. Otherwise you will probably die of old age before you get all the paperwork done. So very progressive laws, which protect you all the way, and make it illegal to discriminate against you. But getting all the ducks in a row is a total horror. Frankly, I'm not sure I can do that. Transition, surgery, coming out - all a piece of cake compared to this!!!!

[Jackie C.]

I absolutely feel that. It seems like every time I turn around, there's another utility or something with my deadname on it. Bleah.

 

At least the state documentation was simple, even if I did have to change it twice.

 

Hugs!

[KathyLauren]

I totally relate to your rant, @Mary. 

 

There are some documents I don't worry about.  My university degree?  I'm retired, so who cares.  And if someone did want to see it, I'd show the old document with my dead name alongside my change of name certificate.  Good enough.

 

But getting my gender changed on my government ID?  Holy moley, what a runaround!  Gender change?  No problem, just send us your doctor's letters and we'll issue you a new birth certificate.  But I wasn't born here.  No problem, just send the letters to the province you were born in and they'll issue you your new birth certificate.  But I wasn't born  in this country at all; I was born in the UK.  No problem, just send them the letters...

 

Hey, Brits, I need to change my gender on my birth certificate.  No problem, just send us your government-issued ID showing your new gender and we'll get right on it.  Hey, Nova Scotia government, can I get ID with my new gender on it?  No problem, just send us your amended birth certificate.  AAAAAAARGH!!!!!

 

There was literally no way to make it happen.  So, for a couple of years, my driver's license said "Kathy Lauren _____", and "Sex: M".  Argh!

 

I finally broke the logjam by convincing the local government to institute a new process for changing one's gender independently of one's birth certificate.  (I convinced them that they were liable to a Charter of Rights challenge for discriminating on the grounds of national origin.  )  With the new gender certificate in my hands, I was able to get my driver's license and birth certificate. 

 

The whole process took several years.  It still doesn't compare to the runaround you are getting, but I can certainly sympathize.

[Kelly2509]

gearing up for the name change myself, filing petition maybe next week, and while I'm not clear on the exact number of hoops I will eventually need to leap through, I've been trying to prepare myself by making an extensive checklist of everything I need to do once I'm official.  credit cards, bank accounts, utilities, dog licenses, my partner and I have a trust that will need updating one way or another, it's daunting!

[Mary]

I do quite a lot of work in the High Court as an expert witness. It might be worth while to jump through all these hoops just to see the look on the face of a judge who has come across me in a previous matter! 🙃