The Social Security Administration
(SSA) on Friday announced that it will no longer require
sex-reassignment surgery for transgender people to change their
gender identity on their Social Security records.
Under the new policy, transgender
people can change their gender marker by submitting a passport or
birth certificate that includes the person's correct gender, or a
letter from a physician confirming that the person has undergone
“appropriate clinical treatment for gender transition.”
Transgender activists hailed the change
as a victory.
“This is a tremendous victory for our
community,” Ilona Turner, legal director of Transgender Law Center,
said in a statement. “The Social Security Administration was one
of the last agencies to hold onto an outdated, one-size-fits-all
standard for gender change. Transgender people will now be able to
change all their federal documents with a simple letter from their
doctor recognizing that they have undergone the appropriate treatment
for them.”
“This significant change by the SSA
will benefit many transgender people who face unnecessary hardships
just to obtain ID that reflects who they really are,” said GLAAD
spokesman Wilson Cruz. “Even with this barrier removed, there is
still much work to do toward full equality for transgender people.”