A person’s name and gender is obviously very important to them. But for many people, gender is fluid and how a person is presented at birth is not always how they choose to identify. In Indiana it is possible for a person to change their name and gender. The following is information on how this can be done.
Legal name change
When a person decides to change their name, it is important to make a legal name change in order to update their government-issued IDs. These include their social security card, driver’s license, birth certificate and passport. Anyone who is 17 years old or older, not in prison, and not a lifetime sex offender can change their name.
Gender marker change
In order to have a gender marker change a person does not need to be seeing a doctor or have any kind of medical transition. There are legal forms that need to be filled out and a court date will be set.
Family law attorney
It can be intimidating for a person to do a name or gender change on their own. This is a very personal event and having an attorney to represent them can be helpful. An attorney can bring competent, compassionate and aggressive representation to the table. There are courts in Indiana who discriminate against those who are seeking a name or gender change. Some trial courts try and make the process more complicated or make the litigant take steps that are not necessary. An attorney can make sure the court is aware of what is required and will resist attempts to force additional steps or burdens on their client.