Category Archives: WPATH

Provider’s Day: 3rd Annual TransOhio Transgender & Ally Symposium

Dear TransOhio Friends, Family and Allies!

Our 3rd Annual TransOhio Transgender & Ally Symposium is quickly approaching! We’re gearing up for 3 jam-packed days of workshops, seminars, networking, community building and special events!

This year is our first year we’re hosting a Provider’s Day. We’ve partnered with The OSU College of Social Work to be able to offer Continuing Education Units (CEUs) and with the LGBT Committee of the Columbus Bar Association to offer Continuing Legal Education (CLEs) credits as well. We’re pretty excited about that, and the workshops and presenters are FANTASTIC!

Here’s information specifically about Provider’s Day, which is primarily focused on providing continuing education to medical, legal and social service professionals who are currently working with transgender identified individuals, or who wish to open their practice to them.

Registration is now open and Social Service and Legal providers and professionals are being encouraged to register early as seating is limited and filling up fast. To register and view a full list of presenters and workshops, visit http://transohio2010.wordpress.com.

Planning to attend the General Symposium?
We hope so, because, well, how often do so many of the top surgeons, community activists, allies and educators gather in Central Ohio at the same time, for the same opportunities? That means, YOU get to meet-n-greet with (several) surgeons (you don’t have to go visit them out of state for a consultation!), have the opportunity to get access to OVER 70 workshops, food, friends, and entertainment all on the same weekend? Check out http://transohio2010.wordpress.com for a full list of presenters and workshops and events for the 3rd Annual TransOhio Transgender & Ally Symposium weekend (August 13-15, 2010)!

Provider’s Day will be held on Friday, August 13, 2010, 8am-5pm and is hosted by the OSU Longaberger Alumni House which is located at 2200 Olentangy River Road, Columbus, Ohio, 43210-1035 on the campus of The Ohio State University.

The General Symposium (Saturday and Sunday) will be hosted on site by the Ohio State University Multicultural Center at the Ohio Union. Registration is now open and Social Service and Legal providers and professionals are being encouraged to register early as seating is limited and filling up fast. To register and view a full list of presenters and workshops, visit http://transohio2010.wordpress.com.

Provider’s Day classes include:

Equine Assisted Psychotherapy: The Benefits for All Family Structures (CEU pending)
Holly Jedlicka, PBJ Connections, Inc.
This workshop gives participants an overview of Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) and how it benefits all types of family structures.  The focus is on how EAP provides a non-judgmental service to all types of families, using traditional social work theories in a barn setting. Participants learn how clients benefit from experiential family therapy with horses, how to identify family treatment objectives, and how to look for effective outcomes. Horses provide non-judgmental feedback for families in an exciting setting outside of the office, creating a safe and ideal place for families who are struggling with behavioral issues, mental health issues, or community-based issues.

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Transgender Employment Protections (CEU & CLE pending)
Tara McKenzie Allison, Esq., TransOhio Board of Directors
This presentation will provide a broad overview of federal, state and local statutory and case law providing protections against discrimination (based on gender identity and gender stereotyping) in the workplace. (1.5 hours)

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Facial Feminization (CEU pending)
Dr. Jeff Spiegel, Chief of the Division of Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Boston Medical Center
Dr. Spiegel will review the goals and methods of facial feminization surgery.  Post-operative photos will be shown. There will be a discussion of what procedures are available, how to maximize results, risks, and how new technologies and advances have allowed for improving structural changes to bone.

The discussion includes differences in the facial anatomy of males and females, theories in gender recognition and feminization, the key changes in transforming a male face to a female face and the surgical techniques used during surgery.  Full forehead reconstruction with bossing to the orbital rim, mandible shaving and sliding genioplasty, rhinoplasty, cheek augmentation, upper lip reconstruction, browlift and scalp advancement are most commonly performed during these feminization procedures.  Trachea shave, blepharoplasty and rhytidectomy are also regular procedures performed during the feminization surgery.  Post-operative photos will be reviewed during the discussion.

Dr. Spiegel’s “less is more” approach to surgery allows patients to achieve their goals while still looking as natural as possible.  (1 hour)

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Introduction to Transgender Surgery (CEU pending)
Dr. Sherman Leis, Director and Chief Surgeon, The Philadelphia Center for Transgender Surgery
Dr. Leis will present an overview of the indications for transgender surgery, the prerequisites recommended prior to the performance of major surgical procedures, and several pre and post operative examples of the major procedures utilized in transgender surgery, both MTF and FTM.  (1 hour)

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Facial Feminization/Body Contouring: Artistic Subtlety (CEU pending)
Dr. Joel B. Beck, MD
Dr. Beck discusses Facial Feminization and Body Contouring. This is an opportunity for those who attend to explore their options in feminizing their face and body. Dr. Beck will explain the subtle changes he can achieve while retaining the beautiful qualities his patients already possess. He discusses the importance of collaboration on an individual level with each client. This helps to ensure an individual look, faster healing, and overall pleasing outcome.  (1 hour)

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Intersex 101 (CEU pending)
Elder A. Vickie Boisseau, Intersex Activist & Educator
This workshop will explore the social, legal, and medical issues faced by many intersex people, as well as the similarities and differences between intersex and transgender people. As time permits, we will talk about the top 3 medical conditions, as well as general knowledge on what to do with your intersex client.  (1 hour)

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Transgender: Basics & Beyond for Social Workers (CEU pending)
Jake Nash, TransOhio Board of Directors, Educator
The objective of this presentation is to have participants understand the occurrence, the distinctions, the disparities, the medical and mental health concerns, and dispel myths regarding transgender individuals.  Jake has delivered this presentation to social workers throughout the state of Ohio over the past 6 years.  (3 hours)

Section 1: The importance of Language
Participants will understand the distinctions of sexual orientation and gender identity, as well as the terms that fall under the transgender umbrella.

Section 2:  The disparities of the Transgender community
Participants will learn of the Harry Benjamin Standards of Care and Social Work implications in working with transgender individuals. Discussion of suicide, addiction, depression, homelessness, risk factors and lack of competent care will prepare participants to improve service delivery and outreach to the transgender community.

Section 3:  The importance of understanding legal and hate crimes issues
Participants will learn of the disparities the transgender community experiences regarding employment, legal documentation and hate crimes.

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LGBT Latin@s Victims of Interpersonal Violence (CEU pending)
José  Juan “J.J.” Lara Jr., MS, MA, Director of Advocacy and Training, Texas Advocacy Project, Inc.
In a culture celebrated for its rich traditions, close-knit families, and strong faith, being Latino and lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender is often unmentionable and often met with violence.
This workshop will focus on the stigmas associated with being Latino and LGBT and how negative stereotypes embraced by the Latino community regarding sexual orientation increases the likelihood for LGBT Latinos to be victims of inter-personal violence within their own families.

Participants will learn about homophobia as culturally expressed within the Latin@ community, the types of inter-personal violent crimes LGBT Latin@s are vulnerable to and barriers accessing hetero-centric social services and criminal justice systems. While LGBT Latin@s and their heterosexual counterparts share many of the same issues, LGBT Latin@s encounter additional barriers. LGBT Latin@s often face antigay or gender discrimination on two levels: racism and homophobia/heterosexism. Thus, categorizing LGBT Latin@s as a “twice-hidden” community renders them “invisible” limiting access to mainstream providers and vitally important services.  (1.5 hours)

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Utilizing Existing Federal Law to Protect Your Gender Variant/Transgender Youth in School (CEU pending)
Kim Pearson, Executive Director, TransYouth Family Allies
Currently, federal laws regulating schools and school districts are either ambivalent regarding the school experiences of gender variant youth or appear to condone the discrimination and harassment those youth face on a daily basis. However, in reality, those laws can be used to provide the very protections and supports gender variant youth need to be able to learn in a safe and supportive school environment.

This workshop will explore the mechanics of using those laws to advocate for gender variant youth who are experiencing difficulty and distress in school due to their gender expression.  Through hypothetical scenarios that mirror the common experiences of gender variant youth, this workshop will provide parents with the basic legal knowledge and tools to invoke federal law protections to improve the school experiences of their children.  (1 hour)

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Allies Supporting ‘T’ Youth & Their Families (CEU pending)
Kim Pearson, Executive Director, TransYouth Family Allies
This program is designed for those organizations and individuals who want to be more inclusive and supportive of gender variant and transgender children and their families. While many organizations have made a connection with the adult transgender community they are still struggling to understand how to support children and youth who come out as transgender or who are facing challenges because they are gender non-conforming.

This course is designed as a Youth/Children Gender 101 presentation that will educate you on the basic facts, myths and terminology. TYFA will also provide practical information and resources that will enable you to be more helpful and supportive to trans and gender variant youth and the families and friends who love them.  (1 hour)

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The Top 10 Lessons in What NOT to Do When Counseling Gender Variant Clients (CEU pending)
Brooke Kroto, LISW
This presentation is geared for mental health providers who are new to treating transgendered, transsexual and gender variant clients. Based on my own serendipitous journey, I will share some wisdom learned, many of which resulted from my own lack of experience and faux pas enacted along the way.

Participants will learn important fundamentals for helping those experiencing gender confusion, transgendered identity, and transitioning related issues.  (1 hour)

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Crime Victims Rights in Ohio (CLE pending)
Mel Fuhrmann, The Justice League of Ohio
This class will describe the rights that crime victims have in Ohio under the crime victims rights statute and the Ohio constitution.  We’ll discuss the services available to the LGBT residents of Ohio, including Bravo and the Justice League of Ohio.  We will also touch on the crime victim compensation program through the Attorney General’s office.  (1 hour)

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Health Reform for the Transgendered Community (CLE pending)
Travis Jackson, Columbus Bar Association LGBT Committee
The presentation would explore the impact of recently passed health reform laws on the transgendered community, with a particular emphasis on access to care. It would also examine recent announcements from the IRS regarding the tax treatment of SRS.  (1 hour)

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Successful Significant Other Partnering in Transgender Relationships (CEU pending)
Michael C. Owens, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist, Licensed Professional Counselor, WPATH certified therapist & Amber Alaniz-Owens
This workshop will addresses the challenges, concerns, and positive solutions of being in a successful relationship of commitment and partnership with a trangender dynamic.
This workshop will cover common challenges, solutions, attitude is everything, disclosure, and the attributes of healthy couple dynamics. Room for questions and answers. Interactive workshop.  (1 hour)

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Services Outside the Box: Helping Your Clients Navigate Sex-Segregated Services (CEU pending)
Michael Munson, FORGE
In an ideal world, every client would have access to ANY medical and mental health service they need. Unfortunately, many services are sex-segregated, which provides additional barriers to clients (and providers).

This didactic and interactive workshop will examine how to creatively advocate for and with your clients around services such as sexual/domestic violence support groups and housing, OB/GYN/urology appointments, forms and policy management, referrals and networking. Providers will leave new solutions to old problems — benefiting their clients and their field.  This workshop is focused on providers and how they can better serve trans/SOFFA individuals.  (2 hours)

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THInC- Trans Hormones, Informed Consent (CEU pending)
Lisa Katona, Howard Brown Health Center
Introducing THInC, Howard Brown Health Center’s program to empower and support trans clients who wish to access hormones. THInC is a comprehensive 3-step program designed to assist clients in accessing hormones in an efficient, supportive and validating manner.

This presentation will offer information about what informed consent means, and why Howard Brown made the decision to make access to hormones as barrier-free as possible, and how clients can access this program.  (1 hour)


CSW, Office of Continuing Education is a provider with the State of Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, Marriage & Family Therapist Board. Provider Number: RSXX-038706 (Social Worker) and RCX-100503 (Counselor).

Our Sponsors:
The Ohio State University Multicultural Center; OSU’s Scarlet & Gay; OSU College of Social Work; The LGBT Committee of the Columbus Bar Association; Outlook; Stonewall Columbus; The Ohio Democratic Party LGBT Caucus; Apropos Promo; Irony Personal Training, LLC; United Way of Central Ohio; Stonewall Democrats of Central Ohio; Out for Work; The LGBT Center of Greater Cleveland; The National Gay & Lesbian Task Force; Case Western Reserve University GLBT Office; Equality Ohio; PBJ Connections; Delaware Christian Gay-Straight Alliance; Heart-Centered Healing; Evolved.

GailyFWD Interviews Karen Patrick & Shane Morgan of TransOhio

GailyFWD has released its latest episode. Check it out.

Erin and Adam talk with Karen Patrick and Shane Morgan, the co-chairs of TransOhio, about transitioning, identity, and how the law affects people’s every day lives.

http://www.ashantynolemon.com/gailyfwd/

TransOhio October 2009 Newsletter Available Now!

Monday, October 5, 200

Hello TransOhio Family, Friends and Supporters!

The October 2009 issue of the TransOhio newsletter is now available!

You can download the newsletter at:http://www.transohio.org/news/October2009.pdf.

Our TG support group meeting will be held on Wednesday, October 7th at 7pm at The Center on High, and our monthly general meeting on Sunday, October 18, 3pm.

The next TransOhio Partners Discussion Group will be held on Saturday, October 17, 2009 at 2pm in Columbus at The Center on High (1160 N. High Street, Columbus, 43201).

There are tons of events & activities happening in October, so, make sure you take a look at the calendar and the other events noted throughout the newsletter!

We’d also like to wish Karen a happy birthday (October 11) and offer our congratulations to Melissa and Paula who will be having their commitment ceremony this weekend!

Upcoming events we will need volunteers and committee members for:

  • Transgender Day of Remembrance, Thursday, November 19th, 2009
  • 3rd Annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner
  • December Holiday Activities
  • and more!

Take care everybody!

TransOhio Board

Shane, Karen, Tara and Milo

Ohio BMV – Change Does Begin From the Bottom Up


Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Change Does Begin From the Bottom Up

grass-roots: adjective. Pertaining to, or involving the common people, esp. as contrasted with or separable from an elite.

Change happens from the bottom up. That is the heart of a grassroots movement, change, initiated by the Average Joe (or Jane!). The catalyst to these grassroots-type movements often stem from individuals in society who find themselves hitting walls of bureaucracy and confusing policies that those who need to administrate them are often unsure about as well.

The recent Ohio BMV “Declaration of Gender Change” policy change reflects exactly this type of grassroots movement. Over the years, many Transgender Ohioans have had issues changing the gender marker on their Ohio driver’s license. Sometimes, changing your gender marker depended on which BMV office you went to – Conservative county offices might give you the run around, versus, visiting an office in a more liberal county, one might not run into any issue.

For several years, we’ve said that it’s a hit-and-miss kind thing when it comes to the ease of changing that ever important gender marker. Really, our livelihood depends on it. State issued IDs are required for employment, to drive, to open a bank account, to cash a check, to get a post office box, traveling, and so on. For many, an identification card with the correct name and gender marker often became an issue of safety.

In mid 2007, a transgender woman from North-West Ohio encountered issues with changing her gender marker on her Ohio driver’s license. Since then, she worked to create a professional relationship with the administrators at the Ohio BMV to create an open dialogue which allowed an honest exchange of information and an opportunity to provide education about Transgender people to the administrators. Remember the meaning of Grassroots?

Over the last few years, your statewide Ohio GLBT grassroots organizations, TransOhio and Equality Ohio, have worked alongside this Average Jane, longtime advocate Meral Crane and the administrators at the Ohio BMV to create a fair and accessible statewide policy managing gender marker changes on Ohio driver’s licenses.

Finally, this has come to fruition.

Effective immediately, a statewide policy – “Declaration of Gender Change” – has been put into effect by the Ohio BMV.

How this process works:

Transgender Ohioans need to phone the main office of the Ohio BMV (located in Columbus) to request the “Declaration of Gender Change” form. The main office number is: 1-614-752-7500.
(This form is not yet available online, and will not be until it is officially assigned a form identification number by the Ohio BMV.)

The “Declaration of Gender Change” form will be mailed to the requester.

Licensed Physicians, Psychologists and Therapists are the only one’s allowed to sign this form.
(To be qualified, the medical professional must attest that the transition is being conducted in accordance with the guidelines set forth in the World Professional Association for Transgender Health’s (WPATH) Standards of Care, formally known as the Henry Benjamin Standards of Care).

The individual requesting the gender marker change will need to have their physician, psychologist or therapist complete and sign the “Declaration of Gender Change” form.
Completed forms should be mailed or faxed to:
Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles
Attn: License Control
P.O. Box 16784
Columbus, Ohio 43216-6784
Phone: 1-614-752-7500
Fax: 1-614-752-7987
**Note: Don’t forget to make a copy of the paperwork for your records.

Turn-around and processing time is 7-10 business days. The Ohio BMV will notify the applicant in writing that their information has been changed.
The individual will then be able to take that written notification to their local BMV office to get their new license issued. The old license must be surrendered.
BMV fees DO APPLY to the issuance of your new Ohio Driver’s License or state issued ID card.
There are a few additional points of information on the “Declaration of Gender Change” form that we feel are important to point out:

If gender identification is marked as transitional, a new form must be submitted for each driver’s license/ID renewal until gender identification is complete. If the form is not submitted at renewal, the gender marker will revert back to the original gender.
Each individual is limited to changing their gender back to the original gender on their driver’s license or ID card one (1) time.
Frequently Asked Questions

Q: I reside in Ohio, but my doctors and therapist are out of state. Can they sign the “Declaration of Gender Change” form?
A: Yes. Any licensed physician/psychologist/therapist is qualified to sign the “Declaration of Gender Change” form as long as they are in accordance with the guidelines set forth in the World Professional Association for Transgender Health’s (WPATH) Standards of Care.

Q: Does my physician/psychologist/therapist need to be a member of WPATH?
A: No. Any licensed physician/psychologist/therapist is qualified to sign the “Declaration of Gender Change” form as long as they are in accordance with the guidelines set forth in the World Professional Association for Transgender Health’s (WPATH) Standards of Care. Membership to WPATH is NOT a requirement for your physician/psychologist/therapist.

Q: Do I need to have any surgery to have my gender marker changed on my Ohio driver’s license?
A: No. The Ohio BMV no longer requires a letter from your surgeon stating you’ve had SRS.

Q: Is my information public information?
A: No. All records of the Ohio Department of Public Safety or Bureau of Motor Vehicles relating to the physical or mental condition of any person are confidential and are not open to public record.

Q: Can my gender marker be changed if I haven’t had a court ordered name change yet?
A: Yes. You can change your gender marker even if your name has not been changed.

**Note: TransOhio does recommend making sure that if you’ve not had your name changed through the Probate Court, that you do so as soon as you’re able to, so that your name AND gender reflect correctly on your new driver’s license.

Q: I heard that there is a new format for Ohio driver’s license. Are driver’s licenses being issued with a pink background for women, and a blue background for men?
A: There is a new format for the Ohio driver’s license. The background color is pink for all driver’s licenses.

If you have additional questions about the “Declaration of Gender Change” form, please contact TransOhio at TransOhio@gmail.com, or call us at 614-441-8167.

Remember, change does happen from the ground up.

These are the types of changes that can happen when individuals get involved and become part of the movement. Get involved with your statewide organizations, TransOhio and Equality Ohio, we are here, working for you. Working so that all Ohioans feel at home in Ohio.

For more information about TransOhio, visit them at http://www.transohio.org/, or Equality Ohio, http://www.equalityohio.org/.

Educate. Advocate. Support. Community