Impact of name change and gender marker correction on identity documents to structural factors and harassment among transgender and gender diverse people in Texas

AbstractThis study explores associations between name change and gender marker correction (NCGMC) on identity documents (IDs) with structural factors and harassment. Among 1301 transgender and gender diverse participants in the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey in Texas, only 22% reported NCGMC on all or some of their IDs. Adjusted odds show that many participants who have NCGMC in all or some of their IDs reported having been fired at some point in their lives due to transgender identity or were denied services/benefits when self‐identified gender did not match documents. Having NCGMC was associated with lower odds of harassment in public settings, fewer housing‐related issues due to gender identity, being treated with more respect by doctors/health care providers, and feeling more comfortable asking police for help. Despite many positive outcomes, having NCGMC was associated with higher odds of health care providers asking intrusive questions and struggling with insurance coverage for gender‐affirming care.