Born again?: (non-) motivations to alter sex/gender identity markers on birth certificates. Issue 3 (2nd April 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ryan, J. Michael
• Is Part Of: Journal of gender studies. Volume 29:Issue 3(2020)
• Page Start: 269
• Page End: 281
• Publication Date: 2020-04-02
• Subjects: Gender identity -- gender expression -- transgender identity -- official identity -- Gender Recognition Act 2004 -- United Kingdom; Feminism -- Periodicals; Women -- Periodicals; Gender identity -- Periodicals; Sex role -- Periodicals; Sexual orientation -- Periodicals; Féminisme -- Périodiques; Femmes -- Périodiques; Identité sexuelle -- Périodiques; Rôle selon le sexe -- Périodiques; Orientation sexuelle -- Périodiques; 305.3
• DOI: 10.1080/09589236.2019.1631148
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0958-9236

Abstract

ABSTRACT: This research will examine one type of official identity – the birth certificate – and how the ability to alter such a document, after the enactment of the Gender Recognition Act 2004 in the United Kingdom, affected individual trans people's motivations to alter, or not, the official sex/gender identity marker on their birth certificates. An examination will be made of a series of interviews conducted with trans identified persons in order to better understand the motivation, or not, to change one's official sex/gender identity marker on a birth certificate from that which was medically assigned at birth. Respondents reported a number of motivations including access to various social and legal benefits, a greater sense of psychological well-being, and a desire for jurisdictional coherence. They also reported a number of non-motivations including the financial burden, ethical objections to having to be judged by a panel of presumed experts, and the desire for conflicting documents as a form of willful political protest. The goal of this research is to better understand the motivations, or lack thereof, of individuals to alter (or not) the official sex/gender marker on their birth certificate.