From now on, obtaining social security cards that will reflect one’s accurate gender will be easier for transgender people after the SSA recently announced that it has made a finally made a revision to its policy regarding changing one’s gender designation on social security card.
Under the revised policy, the SSA has removed its requirement that transgender people who would want to update their gender on a social security card should provide a proof of gender reassignment surgery. Now, a transgender person will only need to provide a passport or birth certificate showing their accurate gender or could also be a certification from a physician confirming that the individual has underwent gender transition operation.
The said move was welcomed by the transgender people and LGBT advocates as another great victory.
Following the agency’s announcement, the National Center for Transgender Equality’s (NCTE) executive director, Mara Keisling said in a statement that although most people may not see the said change in policy as a big deal, for transgender people, it is a victory that would protect their privacy and would give them more control over their personal lives. Meanwhile, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force lauded the SSA for paying attention to the repeated calls from the transgender community to take notice that the policy was out of step with the current medical consensus which recognizes a person’s gender.
Also, the NCTE further noted that the SSA issued guidelines for interviewing transgender people, assuring proper pronoun usage, confidentiality, respect and dignity. Thus, many Los Angeles social security disability lawyers are quite impressed with the agency’s recent move in an aim to let equality prevail across the country.
