Hello everyone! I am a local person who was contacted by a trusted friend of mine who is a local trans person seeking help with the process of getting the sex marker on his birth certificate changed. I can vouch for him as a trust-worthy individual and a person worthy of support. In all times I believe it is important to show up for each other, and especially in the current climate of hostility towards trans people around the United States I think it is particularly important to show up with a strong show of solidarity and support on these types of issues. He drafted a statement for this fundraiser, and I have attached this statement below:

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I am seeking financial assistance from our local community due to unforeseen complications in updating the sex marker on my birth certificate. Born outside of Pennsylvania, I encountered legal obstacles because my birth state's laws allow any state to issue the necessary court order. However, my petition to the judge in Bellefonte was rejected, as they mistakenly believed I also needed to change my name, which I already did in my home state in 2017.

When I tried to amend my previous name change record in my hometown to include the sex change, my request was rejected due to residency restrictions. As a non-resident of my birth state, I found myself at an impasse. Despite reaching out to various resources, the only viable path forward is to hire a lawyer to navigate this complex legal process.

Due to the confusion among judges in Pennsylvania and the lack of assistance from those in my birth state, I am now facing the burden of potentially high legal fees.

I recently had my first appointment with a lawyer, and the retainer fee for the lawyer is $2500 and it could go higher than that if the first set of judges, or the second set of judges, chooses to find an issue with the case.

I understand I may not be able to raise the full amount, but anything that I can raise will help ease the financial burden for me. Due to the uncertainty of future transgender rights, I cannot wait and save up for this; as a result, I will need to place a large portion of the fee on credit, so any contributions will help me avoid additional interest charges.

Any support truly means the world to me, and I will provide updates as the case progresses.

I deeply appreciate any support from the community to help me secure the necessary legal assistance to live a peaceful and quiet life.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Anonymous Local Trans Person
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