Introduction

What’s Inside

This Handbook was created to help you learn about your legal rights in different areas of your life.

Section One provides information about changing your identity documents.
Section Two explains the rights you have at school.
Section Three addresses getting access to transition-related health care.
Section Four explains how your legal rights are affected if one or more of your parent(s) or guardian(s) does not affirm your gender identity or if you do not live with your parent(s) or guardian(s).
Section Five explains the rights you have at work.
Resources and Definitions lists additional helpful resources and definitions for the terms used in this Handbook.

The information in this Handbook should not be considered legal advice. This Handbook provides legal information but does not attempt to apply that information to any specific situation.

This Handbook is up to date as of September 2024 and is meant to provide advice and an overview of your rights as well as resources. However, there has been an influx of anti-LGBTQ+ action, including Federal Executive Orders under the Trump Administration and proposed and enacted state and federal legislation over the past several years, which create legal uncertainty. This is especially true in the context of schools, healthcare, identity documents, and family rights. As such, the information in this Handbook may not be up-to-date at the time of reading, though we are working to incorporate updates as soon as we can. Because of this, we encourage you to check back for updates, and to consult the state of the law in your state. You can find comprehensive and up-to-date information about the state of the law in your state at the Movement Advancement Project website.

If you have a question about your specific legal situation, you should contact NCLR’s legal helpline by phone at (415) 392-6257 or (800) 528-6257. You can also contact the helpline by e-mail at info@nclrights.org.

Self-Advocacy 101

If you think you have been discriminated against because you are trans:

Keep a record of any perceived discrimination. Write down the date, time and place of what happened as soon as possible, and be sure to include who was there and what they said. If you remember other details, you should write those details down as well. Like a diary, you should also write notes about how the discrimination or mistreatment made you feel. Keep a copy of these notes, as they will be useful if you want to take legal action later.

Know your rights. Review this Handbook and other resources to learn about what federal, state, and local laws or policies might apply in your situation.

Get things in writing. It can be hard to prove what someone said or did without some type of evidence. Whenever possible, try to get written confirmation of the decision or incident you experienced. If there isn’t already a record, such as a letter or report, create one. Besides keeping the types of notes just described, you can file a complaint with the appropriate agency that outlines the discrimination you experienced or document an in-person meeting by writing an e-mail to the person you met with describing what you discussed in the meeting.

Seek emotional support. Discrimination is a difficult thing to face alone, and the process of fighting discrimination can be very stressful. Seek support from friends, family, health care providers, faith leaders, and others who affirm your gender identity.

Seek legal advice. If you need help handling a legal situation or figuring out what you should do, you can contact NCLR’s legal helpline by phone at (415) 392-6257 or (800) 528-6257. You can also contact the helpline by e-mail at info@nclrights.org.