At 10 years old, Susan Howard knew she was a girl, even though her birth certificate said otherwise. It wasn’t until last year, at age 62, that the Montana resident came to terms with being transgender.
Howard underwent hormone therapy, had gender-affirming surgery, and began changing her name and gender on official documents. “It has been a godsend for me,” Howard said. “I feel so right and at ease with myself for the first time in so many ways.”
She has been able to change her Social Security card, driver’s license, and pension accounts. But she has not been able to alter one crucial piece of personal identification. “Everything’s been changed except my birth certificate,” Howard said. “That’s the only thing hanging up. Everybody else has acknowledged my gender, but they will not do it.”
A string of legislative and administrative actions has made Montana one of four states where amending their birth certificates is nearly impossible for transgender people.
Montana health officials defend the restrictions as a way to preserve the accuracy of vital records. LGBTQ+ advocates say it deprives transgender people of their dignity and denies them equal protection under the law.
In June 2021, the American Medical Association adopted a policy saying it will advocate for the removal of sex designations on publicly available birth certificates, saying that would protect people’s privacy and prevent discrimination. The A …