According to this story from The Oklahoman (http://newsok.com/oklahoma-judge-refuses-to-let-men-planning-sex-change-operations-have-feminine-names/article/3710063), Oklahoma County District Judge Bill Graves has refused to allow two Male-to-female transgendered people to change their names.

Judge Graves said in a recent order that "“A so-called sex-change surgery can make one appear to be the opposite sex, but in fact they are nothing more than an imitation of the opposite sex.... Here, petitioner has not even had the surgery by which his sex purports to be changed. Thus, based on the foregoing and the DNA evidence, a sex change cannot make a man a woman or a woman a man all of which, the Court finds is sufficient in and of itself to deny petitioner's request for a name change. To grant a name change in this case would be to assist that which is fraudulent... “It is notable that Genesis 1:27-28 states: ‘So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth ...' The DNA code shows God meant for them to stay male and female.”

Judge Graves has no right to make his ruling on constitutionally prohibited religious grounds. His actions are a violation of due process, equal protection and the First Amendment.

If Judge Graves is unwilling to follow the law, he should resign from office.



Updated on 9-16-2012: The full text of Judge Graves' order can be found here: http://s3.amazonaws.com/content.newsok.com/documents/nolan1.pdf