CIRCLE WITH A DOT

@CStamp @persagen

PS: I concur that birth certificates should be able to be amended easily in any given jurisdiction.

Yet it is also important to recognise that birth certificates have nothing to do with certifying a birth: they are certified *extracts* from the larger record of birth (that includes things such as birth weight, gestational age, time of birth, etc etc etc).

I am unaware of jurisdictions that will amend the actual birth record (and such details are more the purvue of public health researchers). The amendments apply only to the birth certificate. When amending the certificate, the record of birth has additional 'events' attached. This means that the full record of birth still contains any errors or misassignments/misspellings/etc made at the time, but any future certified extracts (aka 'the birth certificate') will show only the amended version, not the original record.

@CStamp @persagen

Generally I concur except that this is not a risk limited solely to women. History (and now, present-day) is full of examples of people's identification documentation (of whatever sort) being revoked/invalidated/repurposed … and things never seem to go very well thereafter for the targets of such changes. ️

My area of lived knowledge, public advocacy, and academic investigation is with regards to trans people. Yet people have also experienced such discrimination through identification documentation based on race, religion, culture, indigineity, language, and so forth.

And while driving a vehicle is a legal privilege (vs a fundamental human right), an authority willing to revoke permissions for driving with no meaningful rationale* is one also capable of using identification documents to discriminate at even more fundamental levels.

*eg: revoking drivers licenses from individual drunk drivers would be a meaningful rationale

️

@CStamp @persagen

I don't blame you for being furious. IMO, this type of thing *does* affect everyone precisely because there continues to be a willingness to affect *anyone*.

Whatever contortions of thought brought those lawmakers to pull this stunt are just as arbitrarily applied to the next group of people they don't like. Whether they will do so, I can't say, but they've now proven they can and will in at least one instance, which opens the door for any other possible instance.

@persagen

Horrible news.

While I have researched and presented on #DriversLicenses, I ended up focusing my masters degree on #BirthCertificates as--at least in Canadian provinces and territories--they are the foundational #IdentificationDocument from which all other #ID is based upon. (Some exceptions: citizenship cards for immigrants, etc). What is true for a birth certificate as ID is true for all ID arising from it, including #DriversLicences.

The example you posted is why I believe that contemporary identification documentation is the 'root of all evil' for #trans people (or at least responsible for a great deal of it).

Identification systems allow for #discrimination and #prejudice at a distance, and authorities always retain the right to change/retract/cancel without warning. Alas, this aspect is not unique to trans people, as both contemporary and historical actions have shown clearly how ID can suddenly construct the individual as beyond the (newly-established) pale.

@jkirkendall

As a longtime lupus person myself, I am always amazed at how many specific things lupus can harm.

Until today I never knew of the existence of lupus myelopathy!

I'm glad the 'news' helps rule out what 'no news' would've confirmed.

I hope your upcoming appointments and pain management approach(es) are able to help! ️

@VintageEdmonton

Ahhh, that was a fascinating ranbit hole to peek into. Sadly, it never occured to me that the modern Jehovah's Witnessed were a splintrr offshoot from a prior group with competing factions. Fascinating!

I do recall seeing some old articles about JW parents being in serious trouble during the war yesrs as their children would refrain from various expected, school-sanctioned activities related to promoting nationalism and patriotism.

Very sad to see no attempt was made to accommodate dissenters within public education.

️

#abed
#yeg
#wartime
#dissenters
#objectors

#PSA: Two things--(1) #dental health is important and (2) mocking people for bad teeth is ableist

Last night I lost a big chunk of filling from my one of my molars. I am sure will need refilling as otherwise it won't be able to grind food as that's the only side with enough grinding surfaces left to do so.

I have kept meticulous care of my teeth since I was a kid and even now as and adult; it was extraordinarily rare for to have a single cavity.

Post-2001 infusable #chemotherapy, my mouth #chemistry (#saliva) changed and 25+ years later still has the 'wrong' balance for proper dental protection, made worse by #DryMouth from other meds.

This means 8+ #cavities per year is now typical, plus the occasional #RootCanal (this means many of my teeth are literally dead but the root canal allows them to still function as long as they last).

Bottom line: take care of your teeth, but be aware that essential #MedicalCare can mess things up regardless.

#medications
#ChronicIllness
#DentalCareIsHealthCare

@VintageEdmonton

Yikes! What was in that literature that was so contentious?