On choosing a name and choice in general
When I first told people my name, they made a face: a “Really? That name?” face. I admit that it is not a particularly unique name. James Scott is shared by 206 other people in Austin alone and over 3,000 in Texas – though the number’s a little suspect, considering I got it from one of those info scraper websites. Scary the stuff you can find on a single Google search...
Anyway, I remember my co-worker at the Flagstaff Great Clips telling me that James was a boring choice. She remarked that her dad was named James – the killing blow for any cool-name hopes I had. “Are you sure you don’t want a different name?” Her question still lingers in my memory. Like, of all the names available, you chose James? Oka-Isn’t it funny how this type of conversation continues around what trans people want? My former co-worker’s question was born from confusion, but it mirrored a thousand others that came from a place of distrust. Trans people rarely get treated like the experts in their own lives in both small and horrifically huge ways.
Here’s the thing: I’m plum sick of being treated like I’m the last person in the world who knows what’s good for me. I’m sick of not being an accepted expert in whether or not I deserve to have my name and gender correct on my government IDs, so I have to get a physician’s letter that says “Oh, yes, he’s definitely sick with trans-itis and the only cure is correct identification documents.
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