In commemoration of National Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) Pride Month, we want to remind you of some resources that might help members of our LBGTQ community. Although name changes are commonplace and can be completed with no or few complications, transgender individuals looking to update their gender marker and change their name may face some additional hurdles. Luckily, there is help available.
One of these resources is law library community partner, Houston Volunteer Lawyers (HVL). HVL offers a Gender Affirmation Workshop to assist individuals with preparing the necessary forms to obtain a court order to update one’s gender marker and effectuate a name change. Pre-screening is required, and interested applicants are requested to submit a completed Gender Marker Questionnaire, the HVL application, and a copy of a photo identification. Note that all in-person workshops had been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, so it is recommended that you contact HVL first to inquire as to whether any virtual workshops are scheduled.
To help individuals navigate through this complicated and emotional process, the Texas Legal Services Center has prepared the Texas Name and Gender Marker Change Guide. The guide provides legal information about court orders for name and gender marker changes and applications to update your personal information with governmental agencies, such as the Social Security Administration, Texas Department of Public Safety, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, if applicable. There are myriad other documents that might require amending, too. For instance in addition to a birth certificate, passport, or voter registration card, you might also need to update your information at a banking, lending, or other financial institution or on legal documents, such as deeds, car titles, or wills. In the appendix, you will find information about legal aid and legal clinics and some self-help resources. There are links to forms as well. However, please note that the gender marker change forms are from Travis County and may not be accepted in every county.
Please see one of our previous posts, Gender Marker and Name Change Resources for Transgender Individuals in Texas, for additional resources.