It can be a difficult process for people to feel like their most authentic selves. However, for LGBTQ+ people who are transitioning, their true identities may not even be reflected on something as simple as a driver’s license. Though the process is often difficult and grueling, the Ohio University LGBT Center is providing an opportunity to lend some help.
The OU LGBT Center is partnering with Equitas Health and TransOhio to host a legal name change clinic on Wednesday, Feb. 19.
The clinic will act as a workshop where LGBT-identifying people, allies to LGBT people or anyone who wants to change their name, can come and ask questions about the legal process of changing one’s name.
Jan Huebenthal, assistant director of the LGBT center, feels the clinic is a great step in the mission of diversity and inclusion efforts for students on campus.
“We've had students navigate that process by themselves, and it is quite arduous and quite intimidating to do it by yourself,” Huebenthal said. “So having somebody helping is important because (the legal process) varies from county to county, so it's just kind of a necessity that is part of our ongoing diversity and inclusion efforts on campus to support students.”
Equitas Health, TransOhio and the OU LGBT Center have partnered together a few times before this year for the legal clinic.
TransOhio works to serve transgender people in Ohio as well as allies by providing services, education, support and advocacy. Its aim is to promote health, safety and life experience of Ohio transgender individuals and all transgender people as a whole.
Equitas Health is a non-profit community healthcare system that serves as one of the largest LGBTQ+ and HIV/AIDS serving healthcare organizations in the U.S. The partnership among TransOhio, Equitas Health and the OU LGBT Center has not been going on for too long, but the groups have been more than willing to work together every time.
Oliver Licking, legal clinic coordinator from Equitas Health, is thrilled to partner with OU for the clinic.
“One of the goals of this program is to try to give more accessibility to trans people in different parts of the state,” Licking said. “And so it was very kind of the university to welcome us to host.”
The legal process for changing one’s name can be grueling, even without focusing on the emotional toil of the process. First is verifying residency, which requires residence in a state for a minimum length of time. For example, in Minnesota, the requirement is six months.
Next is supporting evidence. Documentation is necessary, so gathering together a social security card, a valid birth certificate, a driver’s license or other valid photo identification. Once identification is together, a petition for change of name is the next step. This form is filed with the court clerk, and the form is specific to each state.
Once the documentation is together and the forms are filled out, filing is next. The documents go to the clerk of court, and there may be some light fees with the paperwork. Finally, the individual requesting the name change goes through a hearing, where a judge or magistrate presides and asks questions and audience objections. Then, the judge will sign the order, present the individual with the copy and the individual could take steps to amend their birth certificates.
The clinic will feature trained volunteers and an on-site attorney to provide free one-on-one counseling to help students navigate the process of updating their identities to feel more true to themselves.
Huebenthal and Licking both realize how daunting the experience can be, so they both understand the importance of the clinic.
Adrian Alfman, a junior studying social work, encourages everyone to come to the event, even if they aren’t looking to change their names. Alfman believes it would be a great experience for people to ask questions and learn more about the process.
“It’s so important because a lot of people don’t know where to start when it comes to changing your name,” Alfman said. “There’s so many hoops you have to jump through, and it can be really intimidating to try to get your name changed.”
In keeping with the theme of inclusivity, allies of transgender persons or LGBT persons are encouraged to come to the clinic to learn more about the process in order to support loved ones going through it.
Attendants of the clinic aren’t required to bring anything other than themselves and their questions.
Huebenthal hopes that people will be inspired through this clinic to take steps into coming into their most authentic self. Though he knows it’s an extremely long process and there’s many different types of transitioning, like social and legal transitioning, he believes it will all be worth the struggle in the end.
“So it’s about self-validation, but it’s also about being able to have your name on your driver’s license or be able to go to a bar and show your ID, and the ID matches who you are,” Huebenthal said. “I think it’s an incredible vehicle of validation through affirmation.”
