I recently purged my household of many mementos of my past. The further I move along in my life as the man I always knew I was, the less I want to hang on to much of anything that reflects the person I was forced to be for so long. It's very hard to explain but just know that the longer I get to live as Jonah, the more I despise that other person. It's a reminder of all of the pain and frustration I had to live with for many years. And who needs to keep schlepping that shit around everywhere?? I mean, I was there, I know what happened back when.
And now, thanks to the U.S. Department of State, my past has come back to haunt me, much like the raw eggs in the cake batter I made back in college that gave me salmonella and returned to render me retching violently over the toilet for 12 hours, only to ultimately have to go to the ER to recover. I am forced to go back and show these clowns that I really am who I say I am. Never mind that I provided a certified birth certificate, court documentation re: my name change, my NY driver's license, and my new social security card. I mean really, how hard is it to do the math here people??
Today I get a letter telling me I must provide at least 5 documents that are 5 or more years old to verify who I was. Thank you, taint-sniffs, I really enjoy having to look at old yearbooks just so you can see a picture of the person I used to be. Don't worry about the anxiety that causes me. And hey, I appreciate the U.S. Department of State being part of the 21st century and considering that some people might have to go through this type of process to get a passport. Regardless, even if they don't wish to think in broader terms about the populace of the United States, how about plainly state on the website that informs people of what to bring that you need verifiable ID that is more than 5 years old. Even my TX driver's license is not technically 5 years old because it was issued in 2010. Texas purged their system and when I returned from grad school, my originally-issued DL# was no longer found. And of course I has to turn my Kentucky DL in when I got my TXDL, so it's just one hot hairy mess.
I gathered up the most bizarre assortment of shit I could find because I'm just trying to cover my bases. We are trying to fly out on June 22 and these doodie specks are clowning around in South Carolina. I'm going to school tomorrow, printing my plethora of the scars of memory lane, and running to the post office to overnight this bullshit to them. I will implore them to HURRY it right on up as I'm not in the mood to be out $1,000 in airfare, the $100 for a hotel room in Nimes, France, and $150 for the Dead Can Dance tickets I already bought.
Hey, US DoS, bottom line - make this shit crystal clear on the website so anyone, no matter their circumstances, will initially submit the correct types of documentation from the outset. Don't say that a certified copy of a birth certificate, a government-issued ID, recent color photograph, and required fees will suffice. Guess what, toe jams, I brought all that already and now, 12 days before I need to leave, your little letter finally gets to my house telling me it's not enough. Please learn to use common sense and just process my application. Oh yeah, and don't transfer me three times on the phone just to have the supervisor tell me the obvious. Thanks to Larry, Curly, and Moe, the contents of the letter were basically just reiterated to me verbatim. How profound.
Now all I can do is send this crazy batch of "proof" or "evidence" of who I am to these people and hope they quit acting like I'm some sort of weird terrorist trying to fake my identity. It's really not that hard people; wrap your brain around the fact that there are trans people in the world and move on, please. Don't make me get the TLDEF on your ass and have the State reimburse the expenses I am going to lose because you did not make the requirements clear. To anyone who may get their passports for the first time, heed my words here. Hopefully I can spare you the tomfoolery I'm dealing with right now.
Stay tuned, friends...
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