NEWS / President Trump’s Administration Backs Oklahoma Law Prohibiting Birth Certificate Sex Marker Change

The United States Department of Justice, headed by United States Attorney General Pam Bondi, an appointee of United States President Donald Trump, has filed an amicus brief backing Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond on his position upholding the state’s law that prohibits changing the sex marker on birth certificates even if the holder changes their gender.

“This support from the U.S. Justice Department underscores the strength of Oklahoma’s case,” Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond was quoted by the State of Oklahoma as stating. “We are confident the courts will recognize the legitimacy of our law, and my office will continue to defend it at every step.”

The case in question, Fowler v. Stitt, was initiated by 3 transgender individuals (one of whom was Rowan Fowler) to contest the executive order of Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt, a Republican, that prohibited the State Registrar of Vital Records from making any changes to the sex marker on birth certificates, with the exception of clerical errors. Attorney General Drummond was then appointed to defend the Governor’s position.

Among arguments used by Drummond is that the law applies to everybody equally, keeps vital records accurate, and protects spaces reserved for women and girls. Opponents argue that the law makes discriminates against transgender individuals.

A lower-level court previously ruled against the state, arguing that the purpose of the Oklahoma law seemed “inexplicable by anything but animus” toward transgender individuals. That decision was then appealed by Stitt and Drummond in the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.

If you require assistance retrieving a US-issued birth certificate and getting it apostilled or authenticated for use abroad, feel free to contact us by e-mail at info@apostille.us or by phone at (212) 233-7061. You may also wish to place an order on our website.