Natalie Michelle Vaught: Transgender Warrior!

Three cheers for Natalie Michelle Vaught. You might remember her from several previous posts when she was denied health care by a local hospital. I love it when a beloved Trans sibling moves forward despite all obstacles and begins living their authentic life! A big "change" and more progress by E.m. Equality on Friday, February 25, 2011 at 11:17am So, I went to court this morning....wait...let me back up... A few people on here have been on my friendslist since the beginning of my transition. When I first started, I was in dire financial circumstances, and there were a ton of roadblocks on the road to transition.I learned that because of an old felony I would have to hire an attorney for my name change and back when I started down this road I didn't think I would be able to afford it. The name that I was given at birth was Aaron Vaught...and due to not knowing when or if I would have the money to change my name, I just feminized Aaron into Erin. I also did this to make it easier on a certain individual who is no longer in my life...(and i should not have been thinking that way anyway. This is MY life..). When I obtained some money I was finally able to hire an attorney with the help of the LGBTQI clinic. Thus began my name change procedure, and I decided to not use Erin, as I wanted something I liked, and something that symbolized (at least to me) that Aaron is a bad dream. My attorney told me it would be a simple procedure, and that it would take a month to be legally changed. He did not count on a homo/transphobic judge. This judge used every means possible to delay it (about a year and a half!) and she finally ran out of stalling tactics. My attorney and others suggested she was either trying to frustrate me into giving up on it, and/ or trying to find a reason to stop it. She couldn't, and as for giving up...well, she does'nt know me very well, does she? So, I will spare you all the hassle I got when i first entered the court house (and believe me when I tell you, I could raise a MAJOR stink about what the officers at the door pulled) and say that it went ok. The judge however did quote the bible, and say that she "hoped that in addition to thinking long and hard about my decision, she hoped I prayed just as long and hard" about it. So.....my new legal name is...*drum roll* Natalie Michelle Vaught....all legal :D I understand that for a lot of you on here, you have known me as Erin or E.m. so long that it may be a tad difficult to adjust to, but i am asking to please respect this and understand why I went this route. My old self is dead and gone, and I have shed everything to do with that unhappy life....and that includes the name. I love all of you and thank you from the bottom of my heart for being my friends and supporters... Natalie