FLORIDA OKAYS GENDER AMENDMENTS ON BIRTH CERTIFICATES

News Item

FLORIDA OKAYS GENDER AMENDMENTS ON BIRTH CERTIFICATES
Oct. 19, 2002

The Florida Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services needed time to implement internal policy changes following the June 2002 news that intersexed people and post-operative transsexuals born in Florida were to be allowed amended Florida birth certificates reflecting their corrected sex and gender-appropriate names.

The policy clarification, implemented in mid-October 2002, reflects current medical knowledge concerning transsexuals as well as their realistic needs.

Intersexed or transsexual persons requesting an amended Florida birth certificate must provide the Florida Department of Health with

(1) a copy of the court order granting a change of name under either Florida Statute, Section 68.07 regarding legal name change or a substantially similar statute from another state;

(2) a notarized affidavit from the physician who performed the sex reassignment surgery; and

(3) a fee for birth certificate amendment (currently $20). Use of Florida Department of Health Form DH 430,

Affidavit of Amendment to Certificate of Live Birth, is recommended. The affidavit must include the physician's medical license number and be accompanied by medical records, signed by the physician who performed the surgery, certifying that the individual has completed sex reassignment in accordance with appropriate medical procedures and is now considered to be a member of the new gender for all medical purposes.

The issued birth certificate will be marked "Amended" but without identification of what has been changed. Additional copies may be ordered for a moderate additional cost.

Both Equality Florida [www.eqfl.org] and the National Center for Lesbian Rights [www.nclrights.org] will post a Florida Name Change/Birth Certificate Amendment kit at their respective websites. The kit will include required forms as well as a sample physician's letter. NCLR has supported Equality Florida in its efforts to bring about this policy change.

Intersexed and postoperative transsexuals born in Florida can obtain additional information by contacting the Office of Vital Statistics, Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services, P.O. Box 210, Jacksonville, FL 32231-0042. (904) 359-6929 or (904) 359-6931.