Some transgender people are able to obtain a legal name change from a court. However, many transgender people cannot afford a legal name change or are not yet old enough to legally change their name. They should be afforded the same respect for their chosen name as anyone else who uses a name other than their birth name (e.g., Lady Gaga, Demi Moore, Whoopi Goldberg). When writing about a transgender person’s chosen name, do not say “she wants to be called,” “she calls herself,” “she goes by Marisol,” or other phrases that cast doubt on a transgender person’s gender. Do not put quotation e (or the pronoun) that reflects that person’s gender identity.
What pronouns do you use?
Disclosing birth names. When a transgender person’s birth name is used in a story, the implication is almost always that it is the person’s “real name.” But in fact, a transgender person’s chosen name is their real name, whether or not they are able to obtain a court-ordered name change, which can be expensive and involves complex bureaucratic obstacles. Some transgender people call it “deadnaming” when a trans person’s birth name is revealed without their permission, but the term is not universally accepted as it implies a trans person “dies” when they transition. If the person is not able to answer questions about their birth name, err on the side of caution and do not report it.
Ask for the pronoun a person uses, and use it. We all use pronouns, and pronouns convey gender information. If you say “He went to the store” and “She went to work,” your audience understands you to say that a man went to the store and a woman went to work. However, for transgender people, social transition may involve asking others to refer to them with new and different pronouns in order to better reflect their true gender identity.