Judgment of the Overijssel District Court dated May 6, 2021
The petitioner is of the female sex but at around the age of 13, they discovered that they identify as male. They are experiencing gender dysphoria. It was difficult for them to come to terms with this realization, as they never dared to share their gender identity with anyone. At some point, someone in their personal environment expressed a suspicion that the petitioner might be transgender, which prompted them to come out.
Subsequently, the petitioner made an appointment with their general practitioner for a referral to the gender clinic of the medical center. In this context, they will undergo an appropriate process to align their gender identity with their actual gender. Anticipating this, the petitioner wishes to relinquish their current first name and adopt a more masculine (or at least neutral) first name, Demi*.
The petitioner has the possibility to change their gender and first name through the municipality according to the law, but this requires a medical certificate. Since the medical center has informed the petitioner of a long waiting list of two years, they wish to change their first name in advance. For them, the requested name change is crucial at this time, especially as they recently started higher education and want to minimize psychological distress caused by their gender identity. Additionally, given that they are a young adult, it’s in their best interest to take the necessary steps as soon as possible to be able to be their true selves, especially considering the distress outlined in the medical center’s report.
The court rules that the petitioner has a sufficiently weighty interest in the request for a name change and grants the application.
- The actual first name has been fictionalized.
