Two important parts of transitioning for many transgender and nonbinary people are changing their name and correcting their sex marker on identification (ID) documents and other government records. This process often requires jumping through many legal and bureaucratic hoops. We are pleased to announce that we have eliminated the requirement for a medical provider to certify a person’s sex before it can be changed on their Social Security record.
This policy change aligns with Executive Order 13988 (Preventing and Combating Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity or Sexual Orientation)
. Although the sex field on our record is not used in initial or continuing benefit eligibility determinations, we are aligning with other agencies to allow millions of transgender people in the United States to update their most commonly used identification documents. Please visit our blog for more information about this new policy.
I encourage you to share this information with your members, colleagues, affiliates, and other interested parties.