Apparently it’s okay to change your name from “Sarah” to “Barbara” in the state of New York, but if you want to change it to “Evan” without “medical evidence,” then you’ve got a problem. This is what happened to transgender man Evan Rockefeller (formerly Sarah Rockefeller) of Rochester, NY. Mr. Rockefeller declined to say whether or not he had undergone reconstructive surgery, and the judge reacted by saying that transgender name changes without medical evidence
“would be fraught with danger of deception and confusion and contrary to the public interest.”
The NY State court system isn’t doing so well lately. After upholding its backwards position on gay marriage a couple weeks ago, now it fails to understand even the basic concept of what it means to be transgendered and that it really doesn’t matter what is between your legs.
Judge denies transgender name change [United Press]
sully
Holy shit! I never knew taht Evan Rachel Wood is a dude!
http://imdb.com/gallery/hh/0939697/HH/0939697/Headshot.jpg?path=pgallery&path_key=Wood,%20Evan%20Rachel
BCM
This is stupid in many ways. A number of countries (e. g., Deutschland) have laws about what names are legal, and what names can be given to males and to females, but the USA doesn’t.
The state has to grant permission for name changes in order to change official documents and public records, but there are few bases to refuse the selection of any common or even uncommon name. Potential fraud might be one, copyright violation might be another. As has been pointed out, many names, including Evan, are given to both boys and girls. But that shouldn’t even be relevant, nor should whether the plaintiff is originally male or not.
Zack
You really do expect judges to have a more mindful view of gender politics. How many times this year am I going to be disappointed?
Lexy
Guess she’ll have to go with “Pat”.
Evan Rockefeller
Nope, HE’s still going with Evan, but the bigots are still standing in his way. As far as I know, the only name change ever denied before here in Monroe County was when a convicted felon tried to change his name so other inmates wouldn’t know he had killed a child. I’m so glad to know that, as a transsexual, I am equated by the New York State court system with a murderer. No wonder I get harrassed at airports, not to mention banks, grocery stores, gas stations, and now my workplace. I am giving up hope that this will ever end. As long as it continues, for me and so many others, please, please keep telling your friends about it. And whatever you do, don’t move to NY.