Transgender Rights In The United States
Transgender Rights What does it mean to be transgender? The term transgender refers to a person “who identifies with or expresses a gender identity that differs from the one which corresponds to the person’s sex at birth,” (Merriam-Webster). The term came into common use in the 1970s, but similar terms such as transsexual and “trans” have been used as well. Non-conformity, in terms of gender especially, tends to evoke uncertainty in terms of law, which is most likely why transgender people are not explicitly offered rights. Some of the most groundbreaking cases have resulted in making law, creating rights for transgender individuals. However, while tolerance of transgender people as a whole has evolved, the consistency in granting rights has
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Presently, a person may change their name to reflect their gender identity by filing a petition in court; “Most judges will grant a name change as long as they are convinced that the petitioner is not trying to evade debts or the police,” (“Transgender People and the Law”). In 1966, In the case of Mtr. of Anonymous v. Weiner, 50 Misc., a transgender person from New York - who remained anonymous - wished to change their name and sex on their birth certificate after undergoing sex-reassignment surgery. The New York City Health Department declined this request. The court later ruled that “the New York City and New Jersey Health Code only permitted a change of sex on the birth certificate if an error was made recording it at birth,” (“History of Transgenderism”). Therefore, the transgender individual lost this case, unable to change the information on the birth certificate. Also, according to this source, this case was the first case in the United States to consider the concept of transgender. Clearly, transgender individuals have faced adversity in attempting to legally change their information on identification forms. Luckily, this challenge is not faced nearly as much in 2015, although many states require “proof of surgical treatment to change one’s sex, (“Transgender People and the
Presently, a person may change their name to reflect their gender identity by filing a petition in court; “Most judges will grant a name change as long as they are convinced that the petitioner is not trying to evade debts or the police,” (“Transgender People and the Law”). In 1966, In the case of Mtr. of Anonymous v. Weiner, 50 Misc., a transgender person from New York - who remained anonymous - wished to change their name and sex on their birth certificate after undergoing sex-reassignment surgery. The New York City Health Department declined this request. The court later ruled that “the New York City and New Jersey Health Code only permitted a change of sex on the birth certificate if an error was made recording it at birth,” (“History of Transgenderism”). Therefore, the transgender individual lost this case, unable to change the information on the birth certificate. Also, according to this source, this case was the first case in the United States to consider the concept of transgender. Clearly, transgender individuals have faced adversity in attempting to legally change their information on identification forms. Luckily, this challenge is not faced nearly as much in 2015, although many states require “proof of surgical treatment to change one’s sex, (“Transgender People and the