In addition to working as a community counselor, I also keep a watchful eye on the status of civil rights for other minority groups. I do so because sometimes issues affecting one group of persons, may at times affect others.

Equality is the condition of possessing the same rights and privileges as others, and also having the same duties or responsibilities.  It is commonly known that we as transgender individuals are certainly expected to shoulder our share of society's burden, yet as the authors of Transgender Equality illustrate, progress has been slowly coming in our receiving the same treatment as non-transgender persons.

Frequently I am asked whether a person who changes gender is allowed to establish a common law change of name. For a little background, common law refers to a foundation of legal findings or precedents which over time courts have come to recognized as the way things are.