How to handle transgender people

[fross]

this is 2018. I now have two grand nieces/nephew changing gender in the past year. I don't see any way for the software to handle this. I could have them die and birth another with a special note... the only thing I can think of.

[SGilbert]

Re: How to handle transgender people

I think you have to decide whether you wish to record their birth gender or present gender.
Record, in notes, what you have done.
You may choose to make the people private; depending upon who may see your information.
Decisions--decisions.

[ttl]

Re: How to handle transgender people

If you want to change the current setting for a person’s sex, there’s a pop up menu for that in the upper right corner of the person edit panel. If you want to include a date, you’ll have to create a custom event or just include it in the notes.

[fross]

Re: How to handle transgender people

The suggestions are work-arounds and I hope that future updates will include a function will allows for this change... I think it is important to record the facts ... as in the person was registered as one sex, transitioned to another and has a new name and a new ID legally. And it doesn't need to be hidden.

[SGilbert]

Re: How to handle transgender people

Not trying to start a PC fight, but see no pressing need for a re-work to accommodate sex changes in Reunion. The "work-arounds", as you call it, suffice to get the point across sufficiently.

[Mary Arthur]

Re: How to handle transgender people

I agree with SGilbert, These are not really 'work arounds' but the way one has to deal with people who choose to change things as adults. I have dozens of people who have changed their names, for various 'reasons', when they tell me their reason, I include it and the date in note, when they don't I just note the date I was told.

[Kim]

Re: How to handle transgender people

I also agree with the others that this is not a 'work-around'.
Just like a name change, you can choose to record the gender at birth or the gender at another point in time. You can also include a date as a custom event and/or a note to explain more.

I can't really envision handling this any other way, but I am curious; because you see this as a work around, I'm wondering what you are envisioning?

[theKiwi]

Re: How to handle transgender people

I can't really envision handling this any other way, but I am curious; because you see this as a work around, I'm wondering what you are envisioning?

I could imagine that you might create an Event for Gender Change and record the change as an event, but this won't change the underlying situation that Reunion (and other genealogy software I'm aware of) allows only for the ternary choice of Male/Female/Unknown genders to be assigned to a person.

Roger

[blurped]

Re: How to handle transgender people

As someone that is transgender, I opted to choose my preferred gender and merely note my previous name as an alias. This way my trans status is not openly apparent if the GEDCOM file is synced to other websites.

I applaud everyone who has replied to this thread-- you all have shown sensitivity to the nature to the events and been objective in your responses. I particularly like 'the Kiwi's idea for a workaround, which seems like a good way to document it in Reunion.

One suggestion re: documentation that may be shared online:

If you do add info on their court-ordered gender and name changes, keep in mind that making this info readily available could later impact their employment opportunities. Like many, I was very open about my TG status in the early years, but over time have become more 'stealth' (a.k.a., secretive) of this info as my career has progressed.

Name and gender changes are most certainly relevant in our genealogy documentation. However important these details may be in our research efforts, I urge everyone to treat this information with the utmost care, for this type of online disclosure, however benign it may seem, could potentially result in life-impacting consequences for those who transitioned. In other words: it is hard to undo information that has been posted online.

[kmgenealogy]

Re: How to handle transgender people

blurped,

Thank you so much for sharing with us! I have found this thread so interesting. I have a 15 year-old grandniece who is going through the throes of trying to decide "who" she is. I have wondered how I would handle any change if she decides to go forward with it. Your post has given me some good direction and points to ponder.

Regards,
Kaye