Transgender man's name change denied

[Teresh]

(July 12, 2006) — A transgender Rochester man must provide medical evidence to justify his request to change his first name from Sarah to Evan, a local judge has ruled.

Allowing Sarah Rockefeller to change his name without evidence "would be fraught with danger of deception and confusion and contrary to the public interest," State Supreme Court Justice William P. Polito, citing a 1976 law journal article, said in his ruling.

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Comment:

This was on the front page of the paper a few days ago. I know this guy in person, so I'm kind of angry about what happened to him.

 

[LuciaDisturbed]

(July 12, 2006) — A transgender Rochester man must provide medical evidence to justify his request to change his first name from Sarah to Evan, a local judge has ruled.

Allowing Sarah Rockefeller to change his name without evidence "would be fraught with danger of deception and confusion and contrary to the public interest," State Supreme Court Justice William P. Polito, citing a 1976 law journal article, said in his ruling.

Read more...

Comment:

This was on the front page of the paper a few days ago. I know this guy in person, so I'm kind of angry about what happened to him.

Oh man that sucks.

He should be allowed to change his name.

Stupid judge...

 

[ismi]

From the article, I gather he transitioned over a year ago. Isn't that considered grounds for a name change under all the usual statues and the Standard of Care documents?

 

[Teresh]

From the article, I gather he transitioned over a year ago. Isn't that considered grounds for a name change under all the usual statues and the Standard of Care documents?

He didn't present any documentation of his transistion (besides his obviously masculine appearance and testosterone-affected voice) to the court as he should not be required to do so. If a man can change his name to Superfly Flamboyant or Flavious Flava just because he wants to, a transgender man should be able to change his name from Sarah to Evan just because he wants to.

 

[RedFox]

What, I don't get how they refused the name change even if he looked and sounded like a man. Isn't that enough evidence?

 

[Foxrac]

Damn, judge is stupid.

 

[ismi]

He didn't present any documentation of his transistion (besides his obviously masculine appearance and testosterone-affected voice) to the court as he should not be required to do so. If a man can change his name to Superfly Flamboyant or Flavious Flava just because he wants to, a transgender man should be able to change his name from Sarah to Evan just because he wants to.

I missed that part (and his rationale for doing so). I agree that it shouldn't be as strictly regulated as it is now, I just didn't understand what (legal) grounds the judge had for rejecting his request.