NOra is 25 years old. Eight years ago she moved to Frankfurt from a small town near Erfurt to study psychology at the Goethe University. For Nora, who actually has a different name, this also began a phase of self-discovery – and a process that is called transition in psychological jargon. Because Nora was assigned a gender at birth with which she did not identify herself – she is a trans woman. One of the first steps of the transition for her was to choose a new name. Another important step was changing the registered gender. She now feels comfortable, as she says, because her fellow human beings also see and accept her as a woman.
Nora sits confidently with crossed legs in the common room of the “Rosa*Liste”, a political university group that is particularly committed to the interests of the queer community. Posters from the 1980s hang on the wall. They demand more rights for gays at universities and warn of AIDS.
Start studying with a new name and changed gender entry
The beginning of her studies was something special for Nora. The new city offered her space to develop more. She was able to leave behind negative experiences from her childhood. She is one of numerous students who wanted to “transition” during their studies. For some, like Nora, this includes a new name and a changed gender entry in university documents as well.
That’s why the “Rosa*List” has vociferously advocated changing the rules according to which the name and gender of students have been noted in university documents since 2019. An official change procedure had to be initiated before the court before the university accepted the information from trans people without restrictions. Graduation certificates and certificates were issued in the name and gender stated on the identity card. Limited to two semesters, students could submit an application to change their name and gender in internal communication. So for mail accounts, lectures, seminars or exams. This gave them time to initiate the official procedure while they were able to formally complete their transition at the university. According to the Goethe University, 40 students have submitted such an application for a temporary change of name and marital status since 2019. This year alone there were four.
In the meantime, the university has simplified the process. Students who want to change their name and gender now only have to fill out a form and present an ID card from the German Association for Trans-Identity and Intersexuality. Great progress from Nora’s point of view. “We celebrated with plenty of champagne that day.” In the “Rosa*Liste” room, posters of the campaign for the rule change are hanging between the popcorn machine and the bar counter. One shows Nora. She is looking seriously at the camera. Below her the slogan: “Call me by my name!”
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