This Fuck Yeah goes out to reader, activist, and attorney Benjamin Edwards, who served as co-counsel on a case in New York defending transgender rights.
Transcript after the jump.
Today I’d like to offer a big Friday Feministing Fuck Yeah to reader, activist, and attorney Benjamin Edwards, who served as co-counsel on a case in New York defending transgender rights. Thanks to the work of Edwards and others with the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund, the Supreme Court reversed a Civil Court judge’s ruling that a “doctor’s note” had to be submitted for trans people to legally change their names.
A big Fuck Yeah also goes to Olin Yuri Winn-Ritzenberg, who initially petitioned the New York City Civil Court to legally change his name. Olin, I am proud to address you by your true name. Thank you for your bravery in taking this to court and changing the precedent so everyone can choose something as fundamental as what they are called in a world that purports to value individual identity so much. You are an inspiration.
6 Comments
Wheee!!! I missed the Friday videos, thanks Courtney!!
Thanks for posting this, but I do have to point out one thing, which I’m sure you didn’t intend on implying.
The line, “Olin, I’m proud to address you by your true name” suggests that Olin wasn’t his true name until it was recognized legally (which as we know well from this case, can often be difficult for trans people to obtain).
Let me use myself as an example. I’ve considered Emily to be my own true name, ever since I adopted it socially, more than 5 years ago (in fact, I celebrate the anniversary of the day I chose this name), even though I didn’t legally change my name until about 2 years ago. And when my friends or I refer to events in the past, before I adopted my name, we still use Emily to refer to me, even though I wasn’t called that yet.
A piece of paper does not make one’s name their true name. Our names are true to us the minute we’ve settled on the right one.
Thanks for posting this, but I do have to point out one thing, which I’m sure you didn’t intend on implying.
The line, “Olin, I’m proud to address you by your true name” suggests that Olin wasn’t his true name until it was recognized legally (which as we know well from this case, can often be difficult for trans people to obtain).
Let me use myself as an example. I’ve considered Emily to be my own true name, ever since I adopted it socially, more than 5 years ago (in fact, I celebrate the anniversary of the day I chose this name), even though I didn’t legally change my name until about 2 years ago. And when my friends or I refer to events in the past, before I adopted my name, we still use Emily to refer to me, even though I wasn’t called that yet.
A piece of paper does not make one’s name their true name. Our names are true to us the minute we’ve settled on the right one.
I didn’t mean to imply that the legality made it true, but that Olin’s own preference was what made it true. Sorry if that came out confusing in the video.
I can’t believe that a judge ever tried to stop them from changing their name. Where does he get off? Pure craziness.
Thanks, that’s what I thought. Just had to point it out though in case anyone else misinterpreted it.