The Adventure of getting an ID card as a trans person
Because it has to be complicated.
12 June 2025
Yesterday, after waiting for almost 5 months, I got an appointment for legal transition, and now I'm officially female! Since I now also need new documents, I made an appointment today at the residents' registration office to issue a new ID card.
Before that, I needed to make a new photo for the ID card. So I went to a photographer before the appointment. My mom told me that I should wear a white shirt, so I did.
When I arrived at the photographer, I obviously got misgendered. But they also told me that white wasn't acceptable at all (since the picture would be taken in front of a white background, and it'd blend with the background, which I guess isn't allowed), and that I needed a different shirt.
So I went to the next clothing store, that also was nearby, and quickly picked a new cheap shirt. Then I could make the photos.
Of course my beard shadow is visible in them, and I don't really like the pictures myself (since I don't like my face in general - who guessed?), but it is how it is.
Since retouching isn't allowed on the official images, it'd stay there. But they also printed me pictures that I could use for other occasions that they did retouch. But obviously they didn't remove my beard shadow, because why would they?
So I went to the office, and had to wait ~10 minutes, even though I made an appointment (which I guess is normal here). Then I was called, and I went into the room.
There the civil servant looked at my documents, and didn't really know that to do. They then went to a different room, talked with different servants, and then a few minutes later went back to me and told me that they can't do it. For some reason.
Apparently I'm a "special case" and there are "special rules" for it and only the head of department can do it. But of course they're currently on vacation, so I need to contact them once they're back. Which means waiting even longer...
I don't understand why it has to be so complicated. I mean, I have a paper that says I'm legally female now. Where's the problem? It's already decided, it's already official, so why make it more complicated?
Though I guess the German government is known to make things complicated...
to be continued
