Gender Justice League in partnership with Q-Law Legal Foundation, Teller and Associates, U.T.O.P.I.A., and King County Bar Association held a name and gender marker change legal clinic on November 30 and will be holding a clinic on December 18 and January 3 prior to the presidential inauguration. The clinic is in response to requests by hundreds of Transgender community members who have expressed concerns about the incoming administration making access to accurate identification and changes in gender markers or names more difficult.

The purpose of this clinic is to provide expedited legal services for the 4 out of 5 trans and gender-diverse people without accurate identification documentation. The clinic provides access to volunteer attorneys who will help fill out and understand the necessary paperwork and medical providers who will consult with patients and write same-day-letters at no cost for gender marker changes. People who meet the income guidelines will receive financial assistance with their applications.

The clinic will be held at Agnes Underground at 1433 12th Avenue A1 in Capitol Hill, Seattle from 6:30-9pm. The building is ADA accessible. The clinic is also providing Spanish language and ASL interpretation. More than 160 people made an RSVP for the first legal clinic on November 30. To RSVP for the upcoming clinics, contact the Gender Justice League via email at info@genderjusticeleague.org or visit http://www.genderjusticeleague.org/.

Gender Justice League aims to raise $40,000 by January 20th in order to provide financial assistance to those who cannot afford the fees associated with changing one's identity documents. Services provided include assistance with name change in King County, driver's license changes, immigration document changes, social security changes, birth certificate changes, and passport changes. Costs for changes range from $20.00 for name changes on birth certificates to $171.00 for a King County name change. Together, the average cost is nearly $500 per person. Additionally, the clinic will be taking on-site passport photos.

Gender Justice League and its partners believe that having legal and up-to-date identification documentation is a vital step in protecting the trans and gender-diverse community's safety in a time of increasing hate-crimes against the LQBTQIA community. Many in the trans community fear that the incoming federal administration will make gender marker changes on ID significantly more difficult. Without up-to-date ID documentation, the trans and gender-diverse community faces increased chances of housing, employment, travel, and education challenges.

Courtesy of Gender Justice League

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