Legal name change?

[Guest JessicaM1985]

Well despite my aversion to SRS, I plan to go full-time as a girl. I'm already out to pretty much everyone I know, with the exceptions of a few people and that's just because I haven't had the time to pull them aside and speak to them. So now that I'm out, and I have my new name picked and ready to go, should I go ahead and just try and get the legal name change done now, or should I wait a little while and let things be for a bit?

I have looked over the california law regarding legal name/gender change and it's not too complicated at all. The only thing that could stall me is that I'd have to have a letter from a doctor stating that I am under their care and receiving treatment for GID and that they recommend I do this. I don't have the time or money to see a doctor right now. I suppose I'm a little scared as well since I've had really bad experiences trying to get mental health professionals to even help me treat my PTSD and depression issues. How much more hell would it be for something as socially taboo as transgenderism?

Still since I'm on a roll and things are progressing quite nicely, and people are overall accepting, it feels almost dumb to wait. I suppose I could portion some of my upcoming loan money to see a doctor, but I can't afford more than a few sessions and I have zero health insurance. (assuming they'd even cover trans-related therapy)

I guess my fear is grounded in the fact that I'd have to spend a lot of money to get little to no help at all, or be stuck in therapy for years before I can get any okays to go and get my name changed. I want neither of those. Honestly, I've spent some time already dealing with a lot of these issues on my own and with friends and family that I feel like I'd have to retrace many of my steps just to jump through a few hoops for a doctor to give me the okay for something I already know I genuinely want and need. Yet, I don't want to be miss impatient and expect a doctor to just sign me off without caring at all either. I know, I make absolutely no sense, but I'm just pouring out my thoughts and feelings on this. I'm tired of having to go "guy mode" to do anything that involves using my id (including my student id) where I have a pic of me with this massive scruffy goatee and have people do a double take when they see a girl presenting said ID and that leading to horribly awkward conversations. Not to mention these old pics are constant reminders of the fact I was still born with a male anatomy. Something I'd much rather forget. :/

So what do I do?

Suck it up for a while as I try to somehow make it through school and put up with it (which is admittedly difficult to do) and come back to it later, or just go to the pshrink and let the chips fall where they may?

[Guest kaitlyn459]

id say wait a lil bit