Oklahoma appeals court orders name change in transgender case

“The relevant issue in a name change proceeding is not whether the applicant's DNA corresponds with the traditionally male or female name preferred by the applicant. The statute does not change the sex of the applicant, only the applicant's name.”

Most Oklahoma County district judges routinely grant name changes in transgender cases.

“It's an inconvenience when you have a driver's license that has your female picture and the name is still Steven,” Harvey said. “It's just a sad thing when there's somebody like Judge Graves in the system.”

Harvey reported spending more than $18,000 in legal fees to challenge the judge's denial.

“I guess the guy gets his name changed,” the judge told The Oklahoman.

Other name case

The judge in August also denied a name change in another transgender case. The judge refused to let James Dean Ingram, 30, of Oklahoma City, switch to the name Angela Renee Ingram. The judge told Ingram, “You can't change what God gave you.”

Ingram also has appealed the judge's denial.

Ingram dresses in women's clothes and takes hormones that have produced physical changes but has not had surgery yet.