Transgender Tennesseans Lose Challenge to Birth Certificate Rule

Tennessee convinced a federal court to dismiss a lawsuit brought by a group of transgender individuals born in the state who allege its policy of refusing to amend the sex designation on their birth certificates violates their guarantee to equal protection and free expression.

The state allows individuals to amend the sex listed on their birth certificate by presenting a signed and notarized affidavit of the person’s information, as well as “documentary evidence showing the correct sex of the individual.” But Tennessee’s policy, challenged by the suit, disallows corrections pursuant to gender-affirmation surgery.

The US District Court for the Middle ...