Name changes for LASP's transgender clients: Pride Month feature

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(June 28, 2020) For transgender clients, discrimination impedes their access to jobs, school and housing. LASP's Community Engagement Unit help clients overcome barriers with a name change to affirm their gender identity.

The stakes are high: Transgender lives are disproportionately lost to murder. When subjected to severe, pervasive discrimination, transgender people suffer from increased mental health issues and thoughts of suicide. Trans Lifeline, a peer-support crisis hotline, reports that during COVID-19, its hotline is seeing an 89% increase in calls about suicide ideation.

When someone cannot show their ID or give their legal name without outing themselves, they are placed at risk of discrimination and violent reactions. And the path to economic viability is also threatened.

"Name changes pave the way to employment," said Erica Briant, Supervising Attorney for the Community Engagement Unit. In addition, name changes can help people access education and housing opportunities that might otherwise be closed to them due to discrimination.

Since 2014, LASP has provided legal representation for 67 people seeking name changes related to gender identity.

The National Center for Transgender Equality reports: 

"Trans people need accurate and consistent IDs to open bank accounts, start new jobs, enroll in school, and travel. However, the name and gender change process is complicated and sometimes prohibitively expensive. ... only one-fifth (21%) of transgender people who have transitioned according to the National Transgender Discrimination Survey have been able to update all of their IDs and records with their new gender and one-third (33%) had updated none of their IDs or records. The survey results also confirmed what most trans people already knew—that gender incongruent identification exposes people to a range of negative outcomes, from denial of employment, housing, and public benefits to harassment and physical violence."

Pennsylvania survey results show widespread discrimination based on

gender identity/expression, including:

  • workplace discrimination

  • harassment and discrimination at school

  • economic insecurity including higher rates of poverty and unemployment than the general population

  • housing discrimination and instability

  • discrimination in accommodation and services by businesses and government officials

  • health care discrimination

To apply for a name change, clients provide LASP with some basic information about themselves, and answer questions to confirm that their desire for a legal name change isn't an attempt to avoid a debt, escape a criminal record or serve any other fraudulent purpose. In nearly all circumstances, people with criminal records and financial obligations can still change their names as long as they update the state police and their creditors of the name change.

Along with increased access to jobs, housing and education, name changes address legitimate safety concerns of showing an ID that doesn't match their identity. On a personal level, it's huge sense of relief for clients when their name change is approved by the court. "The anxiety is really intense," Briant said. "It's momentous. People are very appreciative."

(Note: LASP also helps victims of domestic violence with name changes.)

Marion Fraleytransgender, name change, Pride Month