Transgender people need to have identity documents that accurately reflect their gender, regardless of whether or not they have had gender confirming surgeries. Many transgender people do not want surgery, cannot afford surgery, or heave health issues that won’t allow them to have surgery. Having an accurate gender marker on a birth certificate is oftentimes essential for updating other identity documents and it allows transgender people to live without being ‘outed’ as transgender or discriminated against because of their old gender marker.

Limiting our gender markers to those who have had gender confirming surgery is exclusionary and not in agreement with current Virginia law.