Fuck this bullshit. And as usual, anti-trans laws don't just hurt trans people. Anyone changing their name to escape abuse or domestic violence would have to broadcast their new information to the public.
There’s a confidential process available for those situations:
If you would like to request a confidential name change where you won’t have to publish notice of the proposed name change, you must prove to the court that publication of the name change could endanger you and that you’re not seeking a name change in order to avoid a debt or conceal a criminal record. (§ 786.37(4), Wis. Stats.)
I’d argue that trans people would qualify as being endangered under our current regime, but I wouldn’t bet the farm on most WI circuit court judges or the GOP-controlled legislature acknowledging it. The cruelty is the point.
I guess it's good they acknowledge the need for an exception to the law, but even in the case I described it sounds like the person in danger would be waiting even longer to have their case reviewed. That said, I don't know how long the process normally takes anyway, or if a name change is a viable protection from domestic violence.
Michigan has the same requirement.
Not anymore, per the article - the change went into effect earlier this year.
I honestly didn't know there were states that didn't out people when they got a name change. TIL.
Huh, I don’t know how I missed that. Happy to be wrong here, good callout.
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