Changing legal documents to reflect our new name and new gender is a step in our transitions that for many transgender people becomes a bureaucratic nightmare. There is no one standardized method for changing one's gender. From birth certificates, to driver's licenses and ID's, to Social Security, to Passports - each one a complicated process, with many people running around in a vicious circle trying to get one without the other in hopes to finally accomplish the changes with all of them.

Each governmental and state agency has their own policies for granting gender changes. Some require a therapists letter, some require proof of sexual reassignment surgery (SRS), while others require a court order. There are 3 states that will not allow a birth certificate change at all.

Generally, the name changes are the easiest, as most states allow for a legal name change for anyone wishing to do so. But in some smaller cities, even this equally-afforded right to citizens of the U.S. becomes a nightmare when one has to stand in front of a small-minded, bigoted judge. Some places require posting your name change publicly, letting everyone in one's small community know about this change. Changing one's name to reflect a new gender, in many cases while one is not fully presenting as the new gender, sometimes becomes a humiliating, embarrassing experience as we face the judge and try to explain.

The process of legally changing one's name and gender identity should be ONE STANDARDIZED ACROSS THE BOARD PROCESS. Every transgender individual should have the right to change their name and gender on all of their legal documents, and know exactly what to expect when beginning the process.

Bring this issue to legislature - bring it to Obama.