- s
Hey everyone! TLDR: I just learned that I can actually legally change my name after being told by so many people that I had to wait.
When I came out and decided to use Jason for my new name I was all set to change it legally, but I have a personal injury case that is still open so I checked with them first and was told that I needed to wait until that case was settled. Turns out though that that isn’t actually the case it just makes the process one or two steps more difficult.
I was finally able to speak with an attorney who handles name changes in Utah, and not only is it possible to change your name while you have other legal matters open… He does it all the time. The problem is this: the cost to hire the lawyer is $1500 and I am currently looking at several months of being unable to work because I’m headed in for back surgery in May.
Is it absolutely necessary that I change my name now rather than waiting another year or so? Not exactly… But I don’t really look like somebody who would have my given birth name anymore and every time I handover my ID it feels a little less safe in the super conservative state.
I’ll also be the first to admit that paying that much for a lawyer when the cost to do it myself is around $500, isn’t exactly appealing… But again with the impending surgery I need to minimize my stress levels, and chasing paperwork and making phone calls and showing up to court hearings isnt exactly something that I could handle on my own.
I was talking with one of my friends there last night and they pointed out that if less than 2% of my followers on TikTok all donated a dollar I would easily hit my goal, so here I am once again hoping for kindness from strangers on the Internet. Like everyone always says, even if you can’t donate a dollar you could share it to someone who might be able to :)
When I came out and decided to use Jason for my new name I was all set to change it legally, but I have a personal injury case that is still open so I checked with them first and was told that I needed to wait until that case was settled. Turns out though that that isn’t actually the case it just makes the process one or two steps more difficult.
I was finally able to speak with an attorney who handles name changes in Utah, and not only is it possible to change your name while you have other legal matters open… He does it all the time. The problem is this: the cost to hire the lawyer is $1500 and I am currently looking at several months of being unable to work because I’m headed in for back surgery in May.
Is it absolutely necessary that I change my name now rather than waiting another year or so? Not exactly… But I don’t really look like somebody who would have my given birth name anymore and every time I handover my ID it feels a little less safe in the super conservative state.
I’ll also be the first to admit that paying that much for a lawyer when the cost to do it myself is around $500, isn’t exactly appealing… But again with the impending surgery I need to minimize my stress levels, and chasing paperwork and making phone calls and showing up to court hearings isnt exactly something that I could handle on my own.
I was talking with one of my friends there last night and they pointed out that if less than 2% of my followers on TikTok all donated a dollar I would easily hit my goal, so here I am once again hoping for kindness from strangers on the Internet. Like everyone always says, even if you can’t donate a dollar you could share it to someone who might be able to :)