I had to sell my mum’s car for her recently as she lost her driving licence last year, due to her dementia. When I sold the car, I had to prove that I was legally entitled to sell it as I was not the registered owner of the car. Thankfully, I have lasting power of attorney for Mum (for both health and wellbeing and also for her financial affairs). When the LPA was drawn-up and when Mum was in good health, it was before I had admitted to myself that I am transgender and I was still called Martin then, so the LPA is still in my old name. This meant that when I sold Mum’s car, not only did I have to show the LPA as well as my current ID, I had to out myself by showing my old passport and deed poll to prove I had changed my name. While I couldn’t be more out if I tried, sometimes I just want to get on with what I am trying to do, without my gender being brought into it. Selling Mum’s car was one of those occasions. I didn’t want to out myself to the rep from the company who bought Mum’s car, but I had no choice.
I asked the will-writer who drew up the LPA if my name could be changed on the document, but after some research he told me that as Mum has been diagnosed with having dementia, there is no may of changing my name on it. Apparently, the only situations where names can be changed on LPA’s is when the person who has power of attorney is proved to be unsuitable, such as if they lack capacity of if they have been convicted for fraud. Apparently changing ones’s name due to gender transition doesn’t qualify, so I am forced to out myself every time I have to use the LPA, even though that goes against the Gender Recognition Act 2004. Marvellous.
It’s the same situation for directors of limited companies (which I am one), as Companies House will not delete a trans director’s deadname in their directory when they change it. They still insist on showing the deadname and then showing the change to the new name. That’s another thing that needs changing. I won’t hold by breath…
#transgender #trans #LastingPowerofAttorney #transawareness
Recent Comments