Trans people sue Montana over new surgery requirement for birth certificate corrections

Photo: CDC Government Website

Two transgender people are suing the state of Montana over a new law that makes it harder to correct the gender marker on a person’s birth certificate.

“Denying me an accurate birth certificate places me at risk of embarrassment or even violence every time I am required to present my birth certificate, because it incorrectly identifies me as male,” said Amelia Marquez, one of the plaintiffs and a trans woman, in a statement.

Related: Wave of bills attacking transgender youth inspires protests all over the U.S.

The lawsuit, brought with help from the ACLU, concerns a law signed by Gov. Greg Gianforte (R) this past May, which requires proof of bottom surgery in order to get the gender marker on a birth certificate changed.

This requirement makes it difficult – if not impossible – for many trans people to get a corrected birth certificate because such surgery is too expensive for many people, not all trans people want or need gender affirming genital surgery, and many are not good candidates for it for medical reasons.

Even if they don’t have genital surgery, they argue that they shouldn’t be forced to effectively out themselves as transgender every time they need to present at birth certificate.

The plaintiffs’ complaint says that the Montana law…

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