Since Vanity Fair tweeted its latest magazine cover on Monday, the Caitlyn Jenner story has been the talk of the country.
The Nashville transgender community hopes the conversation will help lead to changes here in Tennessee, among them a long-standing law that bans transexuals from changing their birth certificates.
The law was passed in the spring of 1977 as part of the Vital Records Act, added as an amendment to another bill.
Dr. Marisa Richmond works with the Tennessee Transgender Political Coalition to educate legislators and their constituents on a range of issues at federal, state and local levels.
“We’re hoping that this discussion that’s taking place, obviously here in Tennessee, and around the country, will lead to some positive changes,” Richmond said.
She said she has seen much success, including liberalized policies for Social Security and passports.
However, on the issue of birth certificates, Tennessee just won’t budge.
“It’s sort of odd that they can change everything else, including state driver’s licenses and state university transcripts, but they cannot change their birth certificates, and it follows them, even if they move out of state,” Richmond said.
And that can complicate the lives of a transgender or inter-sex person all over again. (continue reading at WSMV)