On Friday, April 2nd, 2015 I got 2 letters in the mail from Vital Statistics BC. I had mailed my application for name change on Wednesday, March 18, 2015. Given that it was 7pm when I mailed it, I feel okay saying it took exactly 2 weeks to get my response.
I had had a not great day at work. I sometimes get hyper-sensitive where everything I feel (emotional and physical) is heightened. Good or bad. It was a frustrating morning, and things spiralled from there. Luckily I was not feeling any dysphoria that day. Instead, my brain was actually being nice to me and every time I caught my reflection in window, I was very happy with how my overall look at work is coming (still kind of pretending boy at work).
Before heading home, I had texted Teresa that I was afraid to hope my name change had come today, because it would actually cheer me up a great deal.
When I got home, I checked the mail, and there were the 2 letters. I started shaking first, then I panicked because I noticed they were both addressed to JAMES REIMER. Was I rejected? Was there an error somewhere I didn’t see? Still shaking, as soon as I got in the dining room, I opened the bigger envelope. Inside was my shiny new fully accepted name change.
The other envelope just had a letter describing that all original previous marriage and birth certificates were invalid, and if I had anymore, I was to surrender them.
I was still shaking, and since I’m me, I started crying. In a good way. It didn’t last long, but it was definitely nice to happy cry for a change. 🙂
So, my next step is getting my Psychologist’s Confirmation of Change of Gender Designation form signed on Sunday at my support group. This will be my first time going to this group, my psychologist started it last month for girls just starting hormones.
Once I have the form signed, I send away for a new birth certificate. Then once I have that, things kind of snowball. MSP/Driver License, banking info, various accounts, etc…
I did manage to change my name on my Chapters account. I was in store, and asked if I could change it. The lady then proceeded to ask me, ‘Are you James?’ Ugh. But, I got to reply, ‘used to be.’
So, my crappy day turned into an awesome day. I’m still on a bit of a high from it. It feels almost surreal to finally, legally, be Jessica Jaclyn Hanna. James Benton has ceased to be going forward. I am not hiding from that name, it is my past. I have many things I’m proud of in my past, that I did under that name. But now I forge ahead 1 step closer to being completely authentic.
Now if I can just squeeze a walk in today, that’d be perfect.
Jess