Transphobes Unhappy CA, WA May Protect Some Trans Name Changes

A proposal to allow trans people fearing harassment and discrimination to seal their name change records is controversial among those who prefer trans folks to be harassed and discriminated against.

by Evan Urquhart

There’s some exciting news in Washington state for trans people who face harrassment, discrimination, and abuse. New legislation has been proposed which would make it possible for trans people to seal the records pertaining to their legal change of name. Name changes are generally public records in WA, but victims of domestic violence are allowed to seal the records to help them escape abuse. There’s also a law which would seal name and gender change records in California, but only for minors requesting a change.

Culture-war obsessed media outlets on the right don’t like the idea of trans people having access to a tool that could help them avoid harassent. They don’t like it one bit! The conservative blog Hot Air objected to the proposal on the grounds that it gives special rights to “favored demographic groups.”

screenshot from Hot Air

This is, of course, absurd. The reason trans people might feel the need to seal their name change records is because trans people are routinely harassed by people who dig up their old name. Other people who change their names aren’t. That’s… the whole rationale for the bill.