Two Transgender New Yorkers File Lawsuit Against City

Details: Category: LGBT Issues; Published on Sunday, 08 January 2012 20:59; Written by Lara Landis; Hits: 535

New York City does have rules that allow a resident to change the gender on his or her birth certificate. A person must have convertive surgery in order for a person to go have the gender slot on their birth certificates changed. The rules are set forth by city ordinanance, although the rules are usually put forth by each state. The city's requirements seem strange for a state that allows same-sex marriage and list Asexuals as a protected group.

The rules have caused problems for many individuals, particularly individuals who cannot afford or who do not want to undergo sexual reassignment surgery. Joann Prinzivalli, Patricia Harrington and another person have filed a suit against the city to change its birth certificate policy.

The lawsuit is part of a nationwide movement to bring the rules for changing a person's gender on legal documents in line with the current understanding of gender classification. The rules are applied inconsistently across the United States, but Harrington and Prinzivalli have faced nightmare scenarios in their driver licensing offices.

Transgender individuals face many challenges from beuaracies. The lawsuit filed by these two individuals is simply an attempt to push back after many years of frustration from government offices.

Source:

Transgender New Yorkers Fight City