Transgender Candidate Removed From Ballot In Ohio Over Decades Old Name Change Law

[Ivy]

https://www.erininthemorning.com/p/transgender-candidate-removed-from?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=994764&post_id=140353494&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=k5hac&utm_medium=email

 

It does seem to be being selectively enforced.

 

And this…

 

"Grey, when asked about the decision, tells Erin In The Morning that there was no information that such a signature was required. The 33 page candidacy guide put out by the secretary of state does not list any such requirement and listed on the Stark County website has no such information. The candidacy petition form does not have any space for listing an old name, either. Gray provided copies of her form showing that indeed, there is no indication or space for listing an old name"

 

"This effectively requires all transgender candidates to list their deadname—the name transgender people typically abandon when they transition—on their petitions. This requirement is waived for many reasons, including name changes due to marriage. There is no such exception for transgender people."

 

Of course there is no exception for trans people.  They need to be outed, right?  Everyone else?…… Meh.

[awkward-yet-sweet]

The original intent of the law was likely to prevent people from using aliases. Adult name change without marriage or a similar circumstance would affect the trustworthiness of a candidate. At least in the minds of some people.🤔

 

In my opinion, this is a typical issue in political candidacy. There is always some arcane old law, some I that is not dotted or a T that is not crossed. Always a paperwork complication or especially some picky detail about campaign Finance. Of course the opposition will find that detail and use it. It is how the game works.

[Carolyn Marie]

Sounds like they have a good case for a lawsuit and injunction to keep them on the ballot.  It's worth a shot, at least.

 

Carolyn Marie

[emeraldmountain2]

What's up with Ohio? Went there a few years ago and saw Confederate flags in multiple places.

[awkward-yet-sweet]

20 minutes ago, emeraldmountain2 said:

 Went there a few years ago and saw Confederate flags in multiple places.

 

That's probably just a couple of cases of displaced Southerners being ornery.  I've seen it too, and my husband explained it.  He lived in the North for a little while.  When somebody made a comment about a rebel flag bumper sticker on his pickup, his response was to hang a couple of flags up to emphasize the point that it wasn't going away.  Oddly, at our home now (rural South) we hardly have anything like that on the property. 

[Audrey]

5 hours ago, awkward-yet-sweet said:

It is how the game works.

 

True, politics so quickly devolves from confronting issues and discussing solutions into personal attacks to gain an advantage over an opponent. While it is obvious pandering to a base that is anti-trans, such blatant discrimination and double standards would not be tolerated for other protected classes like race, ethnicity, age, etc. One hopes that such efforts backfire and lead to *better* protections and equity. Seems like a pretty solid case to me!

 

Love,

~audrey.

[VickySGV]

This is an area that we now know about, and I am hoping that the major Trans Law organizations, Transgender Law Center, and Transgender Legal Defense & Education Foundation, along with the ACLU and Human Rights Campaign  will get the money I have donated to each over the year to work.  We need to be aware of this type of potential baloney and as said I pay these folks to know this and communicate it to me.  I worked for government agencies for over 40 years and know that educated and informed people can get do things others just moan and groan about. I fully admit that is pretty negligent that the forms the candidate was given to fill out was just that, negligence to begin with.  I know that if I seek public election, that I am going to spend some of my $$$ on an attorney of my choosing to help in completing the forms and providing the whole required muga-ma-roo, but that attorney could be part of the structure of my local LGBTQ community center as well.  Another thing to learn ahead of time is what power the public officials actually have. We have got community work to do here, especially with the increasing number of us seeking public office and service. Lets go gang!!

 

[awkward-yet-sweet]

3 hours ago, VickySGV said:

I know that if I seek public election, that I am going to spend some of my $$$ on an attorney of my choosing to help in completing the forms and providing the whole required muga-ma-roo, but that attorney could be part of the structure of my local LGBTQ community center as well. 

 

This.  And finding an attorney who is willing to spend the time to do research, not just assuming they know everything.  90% of what a good attorney does is painstaking, nose-to-the-grindstone research.  And for campaign funds, having a good financial consultant and a good accountant.  Even for small, local stuff.  My sister is running for a low-level local office this year, and she's explicitly stated she will not accept funds from anybody.  And while the rules are pretty clear, she still had an attorney look over everything....the same attorney who's also on our sheriff's campaign team.  My husband is managing the sheriff's re-election campaign, and he's also helping my sister.  He's relentless about making sure everything is done openly, traceably, and all receipts kept organized....no skeletons in the closet, yeast in the cupboard, or dust bunnies under the bed.  What's important and true down below is even more true up high. 

 

 

 

[KatieSC]

The fact that they do not require any declaration of the maiden name when married, but they do because one changes their name for gender, seems discriminatory all by itself. 

 

Not sure if I am right or wrong, but I stopped answering any question that basically outs me. If I see anything regarding sex at birth (AMAB/AFAB) I just check off female. I do not list prior names. I am not even sure there is a registry of previous names unless one counts the Social Security Administration. I am curious if they keep any records after we get our name and gender changed. Biden could fix that with an executive order. 

 

I am worn out by all of these attempts to marginalize and eradicate our existence. 

[emeraldmountain2]

4 minutes ago, KatieSC said:

The fact that they do not require any declaration of the maiden name when married, but they do because one changes their name for gender, seems discriminatory all by itself. 

 

Not sure if I am right or wrong, but I stopped answering any question that basically outs me. If I see anything regarding sex at birth (AMAB/AFAB) I just check off female. I do not list prior names. I am not even sure there is a registry of previous names unless one counts the Social Security Administration. I am curious if they keep any records after we get our name and gender changed. Biden could fix that with an executive order. 

 

I am worn out by all of these attempts to marginalize and eradicate our existence. 

 

Electronic medical records have blatant markers for trans/nonbinary people that anyone with access to the record can see and is at the front page of their record. The record systems can also record previous names, aliases, sex assigned at birth, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, ethnic background, religion, etc. I understand the legitimate uses for this information in the medical setting, but it's all right there should a despot desire access.

[Audrey]

I have seen a few of my medical records where my gender marker is "F (T)". I did not ask for that "T" nor is it relevant for the vast majority of medical treatments I might seek. Rather, it is a tether to a past that has been socially and legally left behind, and an invitation to bias and discrimination. I agree, there is an unquenchable thirst for data in the Information Age and you are right that such data in the wrong hands would have disastrous consequences. You can take some control by declining to answer questions and defending it if you are challenged. Some unscrupulous providers might answer the questions for you rather than marking "declined to answer," which if you catch them doing this, gives you something actionable.

 

Love,

~Audrey.

[Ivy]

I don't try to hide my status as transgender.  I'm out publicly, and don't really "pass" that well, so there's little point.  I have my name and gender changed on my ID.  "Ivy" is really my name.  I'm not playing games here.

 

2 hours ago, KatieSC said:

I am worn out by all of these attempts to marginalize and eradicate our existence. 

This.  

At this point it seems to only be a question of how they'll get me.  

 

Today, they're painting us all as potential mass murderers.  This is all so absurd.

[KatieSC]

2 hours ago, emeraldmountain2 said:

 

Electronic medical records have blatant markers for trans/nonbinary people that anyone with access to the record can see and is at the front page of their record. The record systems can also record previous names, aliases, sex assigned at birth, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, ethnic background, religion, etc. I understand the legitimate uses for this information in the medical setting, but it's all right there should a despot desire access.

That is why I have stopped giving any information. There are few reasons why any medical provider needs to know. Yeah, if I have abdominal pain, or a UTI, I might disclose it, but honestly, otherwise, I am not doing it. I am waiting to see what happens in Washington state and in Tennessee. There have been attempts to breach medical records by the government, without a specific purpose other than to see if a child received gender affirming care. That is none of the state government's business.