May 31, 2012 After a two year legal struggle, New York courts uphold an incarcerated transgender woman’s right to change her name, reversing an earlier denial of her legal name change related to lack of medical evidence and the possibility of “confusion” ALBANY – The New York State Supreme Court Appellate Division, Third Judicial Department, […]
Archive | Policy Advocacy
STATE DEPARTMENT REMOVES SURGERY REQUIREMENT FOR CHANGING GENDER MARKERS ON U.S. PASSPORTS !!!!!
Big News!!! The State Department has removed the surgery requirement for passport gender marker changes. Starting June 10, “when a passport applicant presents a certification from an attending medical physician that the applicant has undergone appropriate clinical treatment for gender transition, the passport will reflect the new gender.” (see the full announcement here) SRLP has […]
The fight for fair access to birth certificates continues…
By Sylvia Rivera Law Project on December 5, 2006 in Birth Certificates, Policy Advocacy, Press Release
On December 5, 2006, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene withdrew a proposed amendment to the Health Code that would have given access to accurate birth certificates to many transgender people. The amendment would have allowed new birth certificates to be issued to those who could prove with medical evidence they […]
BOARD OF HEALTH PRESS RELEASE: BIRTH CERTIFICATE POLICY (DEC 2006)
By Sylvia Rivera Law Project on December 5, 2006 in Birth Certificates, Policy Advocacy, Press Release
BOARD OF HEALTH PRESS RELEASE: BIRTH CERTIFICATE POLICY (DEC 2006) FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tuesday, December 5, 2006 (212) 788-5290 BOARD OF HEALTH MAKES NYC CONSISTENT WITH NEW YORK STATE AND MOST OF THE UNITED STATES BY ALLOWING SEX-SPECIFIC TRANSGENDER BIRTH CERTIFICATES Health Department Withdraws Proposal to Change Standard for Certifying Gender Change, Citing Broader Social […]
Letter to Board of Health, October 2006, re: Birth Certificate Policy Change
Letter to Board of Health, October 2006, re: Birth Certificate Policy Change Rena Bryant Secretary to the Board of Health 125 Worth Street, CN-31 New York, NY 10013 October 30, 2006 Re: Comments pursuant to notice of intention to amend Article 207 of the New York City Health Code Dear Secretary Bryant: I am writing […]
Talking Points in Support of Proposed NYC Transgender Birth Certificate Regulations
Why should New York City’s current birth certificate gender change policy be changed? NYC needs a new birth certificate gender change policy because the current policy, requiring every person to prove they’ve had “convertive surgery,” (interpreted to mean phalloplasty or vaginoplasty), is based on myths and misunderstandings about trans health care. Trans healthcare is individualized: […]
FAQ for New Transgender Birth Certificate Regulations Proposed in New York City
What does the current policy say? Right now, transgender people born in New York City can never get birth certificates that reflect our new gender. If we provide proof of having had vaginoplasty or phalloplasty (types of genital surgery), we can get a birth certificate that shows no gender at all. What’s wrong with the […]
Follow-up Letter About Legal Issues (Birth Certificate Policy)
Follow-up letter sent after meeting with the Bureau of Vital Statistics (February 2003) to discuss the need to change NYC’s birth certificate gender change policy. February 25, 2003 Dr. Steven Schwartz, PhD. The City of New York Dept. of Health 125 Worth Street Room 144 New York, NY 10013-4090 Dear Dr. Schwartz: I am writing […]
Birth Certificate Sex Designation: An Overview of the Issues
A summary of the issues discussed at the meeting with the Office of Vital Statistics in February, 2003. Birth Certificate Sex Designation: An Overview of the Issues New York City’s current policy regarding changing sex designation on birth certificates resulted from the recommendations of a 1965 committee appointed by the New York City Board of […]
Initial Letter to Department of Vital Stats
Initial letter sent to the NYC Department of Health in 2002, about changing NYC’s birth certificate gender change policy The City of New York Dept. of Health 125 Worth Street Room 144 New York, NY 10013-4090 November 18, 2002 Dear Dr. Weisfuse: We are a coalition of organizations concerned with the civil rights of transgender […]