The Cutting Edge Dec. 24, 2013
Barbara F.
Anderson, Ph.D., LCSW
In addition to my psychotherapy practice I have embarked
on another venture—I have been deputized as a Marriage Commissioner by the
State of California. Once a week I
report to San Francisco City Hall and perform marriages for couples who choose
to take their vows at this most impressive site. A large proportion of the individuals that
wed are same-sex couples who became “legal” on Dec. 2, 2013. After a bit of paperwork, I sign in a
couple’s witnesses and we proceed to either a private room or up the grand
staircase to stand under the cupola of this gorgeous building. There, surrounded by family and friends, photographers
and children, the spouses-to-be take their vows, exchange rings and kiss. It is the high point of my day each week.
“Victory! Transgender Man Wins right to Work as Authentic
Self” is the headline of an article on the Transgender Law Center’s site. The organization responded to K.S.’s request
for help when his employer refused to allow him to serve clients who had
requested a male massage therapist. K.S.
had begun transitioning the prior year and had also been denied usage of his
chosen name without a court ordered name change or a gender change on his
driver’s license. A TLC lawyer discussed
the matter with K.S., explained his rights to him, and helped him identify the
specific areas at work where he was treated differently from other men. As a result, K.S. felt confident to meet with
his employer and advocate for more equitable treatment. He is now “booked” as a male massage
therapist, wears a male uniform and uses his chosen name.
“Taiwan to allow legal gender changes without
transitioning” appeared Dec. 11, 2013 on the site, GayStarNews. After hours of debate, the Ministry of Health
voted to drop previous requirements –“removal of all relevant sexual organs” and
psychiatric evaluation—and now allows TG individuals to change their legal
gender at will. Taiwan has become only
the second nation, after Argentina, to liberalize their laws to such an
extent. To the objections of a
psychiatrist who cited 2 cases of individuals who committed suicide
post-transition, a supporter of the ruling suggests that “adaptation difficulty
is indeed more of a social problem…. It
is the double requirement of evaluation and sex reassignment surgery, which
together with monetary and physical constraints, prevents trans people from
obtaining their desired legal gender and brings problems.”
In July, California passed AB 1266, introduced by Tom
Ammiano of San Francisco. It required public schools to allow TG students to
use bathrooms and participate on sports teams consistent with their gender
identity as of Jan. 1, 2014. A
conservative coalition has formed to repeal the measure in the 2014 election. It needs to collect 305,000 signatures by
Nov. 8 to get on the ballot. A statement
from political consultant, Frank Schubert, who masterminded the passage of Proposition
8, maintains that 500,000 have been collected so far. If the referendum qualifies, the law will be
suspended until voters decide. (Los
Angeles Times, Oct. 20, 2013)
In brief:
Lambda Legal has a great website which deals with such subjects as:
identity documents; TG youth; restroom access rights; TG workplace rights;
health care; TG seniors; TGs and
marriage laws; TG parents; and fighting anti-trans violence. It is www.lambdalegal.org/know-your-rights/transgender
