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erininthemorning.com

Mississippi Supreme Court Allows Judge to Block Name Changes for Trans People Under 21

15-year-old girls can get married in the state, but trans people may have to wait until they’re 21 years old to change their name.

This is what we are talking about when we say that talking about young adults like they're not old enough to make their own decisions hurts the legal adulthood of all young adults.

Mississippi, unlike most states, does not consider a young person an adult until 21. What does this mean? Well, among other things...

But the courts denied the name change request of SBM, a trans man with the full support of his parents in his transition, because they found 18 years old is not an adequate age to ensure “maturity” and warrant such a “life-altering” decision.

Got that? Because he's not considered an adult, he can't change his name (even with the full support of his parents). The State has decided that he's just not old enough to change his name.

Is this ruling based in transphobia and will it likely not hold up on appeal? Both things are probably true. That doesn't change the fact that this rhetorical line is exactly what's being used to strip rights from young adults.

Also...

The plaintiff may still be able to cross state lines to get a name change, but it is unclear the extent to which Mississippi would honor it. In addition, it threatens to thrust Mississippians of all backgrounds into the epicenter of a constitutional crisis. The ruling and its rollout could call the 26th Amendment into question, which lowered the voting age to 18 after the mass conscription of young people during the Vietnam War. It also tests the Full Faith and Credit Clause, which requires states to respect the records-keeping of other states (such as name changes and marriage licenses); Mississippians’ 14th Amendment right to due process; and an individual’s First Amendment rights.

Republicans are already trying to roll back the voting rights of young people because people under 25 overwhelmingly vote not-Republican. Just... for fuck's sake, y'all. The myth that people's brains "aren't done developing until 25" is just that: a myth.

Stop trying to make young adults into children. You're giving away your rights and the rights of others.