Andrea and Milo Ronquillo stand outside the Civic Center Courthouse in San Francisco on Feb. 26, 2025.
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Beth LaBerge
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KQED
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Topline:
What does changing your name or gender marker on official government documents now entail? KQED spoke to a lawyer about what trans, intersex and nonbinary people can expect during the lengthy process.
The backstory: Mere hours after his Jan. 20 inauguration, President Donald Trump issued an executive order stating that the federal government would recognize only two sexes, male and female. As a result, the State Department immediately eliminated the “X” gender as an option and suspended its previous policy that permitted transgender, intersex and nonbinary people to update gender markers on their passports. After a back-and-forth in the federal courts following a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union, the conservative-leaning Supreme Court has ruled that the Trump administration can enforce this policy.
Why now: The latest update is not the end of the road for trans people and gender markers, San Francisco lawyer Alexis Levy said, since “this decision doesn’t dispose of the lawsuit in general.” “That will take several more months at least,” Levy said. “This was an emergency stay, which is a very specific subset that’s become a very frequent feature in this administration, and the Supreme Court during this administration.”
Read on... for tips on updating your name and gender marker on CA and federal IDs.
Mere hours after his Jan. 20 inauguration, President Donald Trump issued an executive order stating that the federal government would recognize only two sexes, male and female. As a result, the State Department immediately eliminated the “X” gender as an option and suspended its previous policy that permitted transgender, intersex and nonbinary people to update gender markers on their passports.
But the latest update is not the end of the road for trans people and gender markers, San Francisco lawyer Alexis Levy said, since “this decision doesn’t dispose of the lawsuit in general.”“That will take several more months at least,” Levy said. “This was an emergency stay, which is a very specific subset that’s become a very frequent feature in this administration, and the Supreme Court during this administration.”
“People saw the writing on the wall,” said Levy, who has been hosting free gender marker and name change clinics with other LGBTQ+ organizations, including the Oakland LGBTQ Center. “The whole process can be really daunting,” they said.
But what does changing your name or gender marker on official government documents now entail? KQED spoke to Levy about what trans, intersex and nonbinary people can expect during the lengthy process.
Please bear in mind that this is not legal advice, and it’s always a good idea to talk to an expert about your individual situation before taking concrete action — especially because current events may have superseded some information online.
Attorney Alexis Levy poses for a portrait outside the Civic Center Courthouse in San Francisco on Feb. 26, 2025.
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Beth LaBerge
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KQED
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What’s the current situation for trans people’s U.S. passports?
Back in June, the U.S. District Court of Massachusetts ruled that the State Department “must allow people with a gender identity different from their sex assigned at birth to self-select the sex designation on their passport,” leaving a brief window of time in which trans Americans could update or renew their documents accordingly.
But that window is closed once again. Following the Supreme Court’s decision on Nov. 6, all new, renewed and replacement passports will now use the gender marker assigned at birth — and the ‘X’ gender option is no longer available.
While there’s still another decision to come from the First Circuit Court of Appeals left, which could lead to another brief window in which trans people can once again adjust their gender markers, this timeline is “really hard to predict,” Levy said.
“My advice remains the same: that it is better to have a passport with the wrong gender marker on it than it is to have no passport at all,” they said.
In addition to the confusion and anxiety caused by the frequent policy changes, the situation remains “demoralizing” for many trans, intersex, and gender non-conforming people across the country, Levy said — people who were already reeling from the Trump administration’s January executive order affecting their passports.
A 24-year-old trans man told NPR in February that after filing paperwork to change his gender marker to male on his passport before Trump’s inauguration, he received a passport marking him as female. Euphoria actor Hunter Schafer detailed on TikTok how her new passport lists her as male, despite having female on her government documents since she was a teenager.
“I’m just sort of scared of the way this stuff slowly gets implemented,” Schafer said in her social post, explaining her concerns about possibly being forced to out herself in front of a border patrol agent.
“We are never going to stop existing. I’m never going to stop being trans,” Schafer said in her February video. “A letter and a passport can’t change that.”
“There’s really no purpose for policies like this one, apart from making the people it affects’ lives miserable,” Levy said.
Can people who have changed their gender marker or have “X” still use their passports to travel?
The U.S. State Department’s site said that a passport with an “X” marker or that “lists a sex other than [your] sex as defined by the White House executive order” will “remain valid until its expiration date,” and that you can still use it to travel in and out of the U.S.
Acknowledging the anxiety some may have around traveling these passports, Lambda Legal, an organization serving LGBTQ+ people, said it’s not aware of any confirmed incidents “where individuals have faced problems leaving or reentering the United States using an unexpired passport issued prior to the 2025 policy changes — including those with an X gender marker.”
“There have also been no verified reports of passports being confiscated upon reentry,” the group’s website reads.
However, stressed Lambda Legal, travelers should weigh their personal circumstances, “including how you use your passport, your plans for international travel, and your individual safety needs and risk tolerance.”
Which documents can I change my name and/or gender markers on?
There is no one universal application where you can change your name or gender marker for all of your documents and changing one does not prompt another document to change. You have to do it “manually 100% of the time,” Levy said.
Levy said the four major documents people have historically wanted to change to reflect an update to their name or gender identity are:
California, along with several other states, still allows people to change their gender marker or use “X” on state-issued documents like their birth certificate or driver’s license.
Other documentation or information that a person might update to reflect a new name or correct gender marker could potentially include: green cards, visas, foreign passports, citizenship certificates, health insurance, insurance and information around banking and credit cards. And name changes, especially, don’t have to be confined to government documents, Levy said.
“Anywhere where your name is attached to it is somewhere where eventually you’re going to have to update it,” said Levy, who went through the name change process themself last summer.
These updates could include mail, magazine subscriptions or their identity at a club or nonprofit.
How can I legally have a change of name and/or gender identity recognized?
To update a lot of your major documentation to reflect a new name and/or correct gender marker, you’ll need to go to your local county court and obtain a court order.
In California, you can ask for the court to recognize:
Some local courts will ask for their own additional forms to file, which you can check with your court’s clerk. Levy notes that some counties may ask for more biographical information for background-checking purposes, including height, weight and place of birth.
Are there any documents I can change without a court order?
Levy said you could change your gender marker on California documents — such as birth certificates and driver’s licenses/IDs — without a court order, although you’ll still be asked for some “specific supporting documentation.” Name change recognition, however, almost always needs a court order.
Some people may still consider obtaining the court order regardless of having their gender marker changed, even if it’s possible to do so in California without the order, Levy said. That includes people born in another state or country that does require a court order to make such a change. Californians may also consider obtaining the court order as a kind of insurance against potential future changes in federal policy regarding self-selection on gender markers, Levy said, since the Constitution mandates that the federal government. As well as other states, must respect a state court order.
The bureaucratic process of updating a birth certificate without a court order can also be intricate and specific, according to Levy. And since any administrative mistakes on the applicant’s part can lead to long delays, they recommend you consult a legal expert if you choose to go this route.
Do I need permission for a physician to change my name or gender marker?
No. After a 2018 law, California residents do not need a physician’s letter for a name and gender change petition.
Once I’ve obtained my court order recognizing my name and/or gender identity change, how can I start updating my documents?
The card does not list a person’s gender marker, but the agency said it “maintains information in its computer records on everyone who has a Social Security number, including name, date of birth, and sex.”
The California Department of Motor Vehicles — as well as the State Department, banks, insurance companies, credit card companies and more — often use the Social Security database to cross-reference and confirm people’s identities. Changing a name with the Social Security Administration is almost always a prerequisite before updating other government IDs (except birth certificates) and insurance, Levy said.
Lambda Legal, an organization serving LGBTQ+ people, notes that as of Jan. 31, the Trump administration has directed the Social Security Administration to “stop processing gender marker updates” associated with their records.
Advocates for Trans Equality, a trans advocacy group, has noted that Social Security benefits are not dependent on sex. However, “when applying for Medicare, Medicaid, or Obamacare health insurance through the marketplace, use the sex that matches Social Security,” the group said.
How long would changing my name or gender marker take?
According to the state, the decision period in which a judge signs the name change and gender recognition order is six weeks. But in many cases, this can vary, Levy said, and the process can be delayed even longer if there are mistakes in your paperwork.
And once the court order is approved, “each of those individual documents takes different periods of time,” Levy said. “So California birth certificates take about four months. … Usually [with] Social Security, you do that, and you get a new card in the mail within two weeks.”
How much money will changing my name and/or gender markers cost?
Name and gender marker changes can be a pricey process, with just some of the costs including:
Andrea and Milo Ronquillo sit with attorney Alexis Levy (right) near the Civic Center Courthouse in San Francisco on Feb. 26, 2025.
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Beth LaBerge
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KQED
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Where can trans folks find support and resources around documentation changes?
Levy holds regular clinic with their firm Identity Affirmation Workshop and said the service is pro bono to anyone living in California or, if they live out of state, born or married in the state.
O.C. Japan Fest, corgi beach day, the grunions are back, a new play festival, a talk with Sen. Cory Booker and more of the best things to do this weekend.
Highlights:
Experience sakura season without leaving the area at the O.C. Japan Fair, featuring 250 vendors, craftspeople, food booths, art activities and more, all celebrating Japanese culture.
Check out readings of five new plays – all for free! – at the Play L.A. New Works Festival, put on by Stage Raw and the Greenway Arts Alliance along with a number of L.A. indie theater powerhouses.
Spend Friday night with New Jersey Senator Cory Booker, whose new book, Stand, tells stories from his political life that aim to share “actionable insights” to help preserve democracy in these challenging times.
I hope you had luck in securing the first round of LA28 Olympics tickets — and that you’re not still waiting for page refreshes this morning! We’ve got all the info on how to get your tickets and why you shouldn’t fret if it doesn’t work out on this first try.
LAist’s Mariana Dale went to Hollywood High School this week to see how students and teachers felt about Mitski bringing a concert to the historic space. Seems like no one was missing class since perfect attendance meant a shot at tickets.
No matter your music taste, there’s a show for you this weekend. It may not be the height of summer yet, but things will be heating up at the Hollywood Bowl as Ben Platt and Rachel Zegler reunite for their concert performance of Broadway hit The Last Five Years. Plus, Licorice Pizza recommends Mercury Prize-winning London rapper Dave at the Palladium, St. Paul & the Broken Bones are at the Belasco, Calum Scott plays the Wiltern, and there’s a really cool First Fridays night at the Natural History Museum with dub legend Adrian Sherwood. Saturday has pop trio LANY at the Intuit Dome, Lamb of God slaughtering the YouTube Theater, SoundCloud rapper Rich Amiri at the Fonda, post-hardcore band Hail the Sun at the Wiltern, pop sensation Nessa Barrett at the Masonic Lodge, and another rising pop star, Alexander Stewart, at Chinatown’s cool new venue, Pacific Electric.
Experience sakura season without leaving the area at the O.C. Japan Fair, featuring 250 vendors, craftspeople, food booths, art activities and more, all celebrating Japanese culture. From sake tastings to sushi-making workshops to musical performances and kimono try-ons, the annual event is one of the largest Japanese cultural fairs in California.
Play L.A. New Works Festival
April 3-4 Greenway Court Theatre 544 North Fairfax Ave., Mid-City COST: FREE, MORE INFO
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PLAY LA Festival
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Check out readings of five new plays — all for free! — at the Play L.A. New Works Festival, put on by Stage Raw and the Greenway Arts Alliance, along with a number of L.A. indie theater powerhouses. This year’s plays are Stonewall’s Bouncer by Louisa Hill, produced by The Victory Theatre; At Olduvai Gorge by India Kotis, produced by The Odyssey Theatre Company; Ghost Play by Mathew Scott Montgomery, produced by InHouse Theatre; The Incident by Rachel Borders, produced by The Road Theatre Ensemble; and Three Dates by Erica Wachs, produced by IAMA Theatre Company. Go see one, or go see them all!
SoCal Corgi Beach Day
Saturday, April 4, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 21351 California 1, Huntington Beach COST: FREE; MORE INFO
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Vlad D
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Unsplash
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Head to Huntington Beach for the cutest event of the year, the annual SoCal Corgi Beach Day. This year’s theme is "Tiki Beach Pawty," because of course it is. Honor Queen Elizabeth II’s favorite pets and spend the day at the beach with these short, stout, snuggly friends while they frolic and compete in events like — I am not making this up – Corgi Limbo.
Plaza Mexico Celebrates Easter
Sunday, April 5, 12:00 p.m. to 4 p.m. 3100 E. Imperial Highway, Lynwood COST: FREE; MORE INFO
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Plaza México
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You have your pick of Easter Bunny photo ops and egg hunts around town, and Plaza Mexico would be a great one with the family. Meet and take a picture with the Easter bunny, enjoy kids' arts & crafts, family activities, vendors and sweet treats.
Writers Bloc: Cory Booker
Friday, April 3, 7:30 p.m. John Adams Middle School (JAMS) Performing Arts Center 2425 16th St., Santa Monica COST: $33; MORE INFO
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 05: Senator Cory Booker attends PBS' "Black & Jewish America: An Interwoven History" Screening With Henry Louis Gates, Jr. And Conversation With Sen. Cory Booker at 92NY on February 05, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)
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Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images
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Getty Images North America
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Spend Friday night with New Jersey Senator Cory Booker, whose new book, Stand, tells stories from his political life that aim to share "actionable insights" to help preserve democracy in these challenging times. The conversation with Writers Bloc will be hosted by Sean Bailey, the former head of Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Production for 14 years and the current CEO of the new multi-platform production company B5 Studios. The event is sold out, but there is a waitlist available.
Behind the Canvas — An Exclusive Art Talk with the Jurors of A Woman's Place: Framing the Future
Saturday, April 4, 11 a.m. Ebell of Los Angeles 741 S. Lucerne Blvd., Mid-Wilshire COST: FREE; MORE INFO
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The Ebell
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Have coffee and doughnuts with the curators of the Ebell’s Women’s History Month exhibit, "A Woman’s Place: Framing the Future." You can catch the show before it closes and see work from women artists exploring new interpretations of womanhood, feminism and art.
Grunion Run
Saturday, April 4, starting at 10:30 p.m. Venice Breakwater Ocean Front Walk, Venice COST: FREE; MORE INFO
Thousands of grunions on the shore.
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Courtesy of the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium
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I have lived in Venice for more than 20 years and never actually seen a grunion, despite efforts, but that doesn’t mean it’s not fun to see all your neighbors scouring the beach by moonlight on a Saturday night. The Venice Oceanarium folks always organize an educational tent with lessons on how these unique fish show up on our shores to reproduce, and maybe you’ll luck out and time it right this year.
She’s Auspicious
Saturday, April 4, 7 p.m. Broad Stage 1310 11th St., Santa Monica COST: FROM $40; MORE INFO
L.A. native Mythili Prakash takes the Tamil dance form Bharatanatyam to new heights as a choreographer and performer. Her short dance film Mollika, commissioned by Sadler’s Wells Digital Stage in London, was nominated for a 2025 National Dance Award for Best Short Dance Film. She’s Auspicious, her latest production, "blurs the line between goddess and woman, exploring the dichotomy between celebration of the goddess versus the treatment of women in society." It was nominated for an Olivier Award in the category Best New Dance Performance in the U.K., and lucky for us, is on for one performance only at the Broad Stage in Santa Monica.
Julia Barajas
explores how college students achieve their goals, whether they’re fresh out of high school, pursuing graduate work or looking to join the labor force through alternative pathways.
Published April 2, 2026 5:00 AM
Cal State Long Beach is one of the 23 CSU campuses where Teamsters-represented workers held a strike last month.
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Brian Feinzimer
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LAist
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Topline:
The California Public Employment Relations Board (has issued a formal complaint against California State University trustees over the system’s alleged refusal to give raises to trades workers. The complaint follows a statewide strike earlier this year, in which workers at every campus walked off the job.
Why it matters: Teamsters Local 2010 represents 1,100 plumbers, electricians, HVAC techs, locksmiths and other building maintenance staff who work across the CSU system. A formal complaint from the Public Employment Relations Board means the two parties must resolve the dispute in a formal hearing process.
The backstory: According to Teamsters Local 2010, union members won wage increases in 2024 “after nearly three decades of stagnation.” That year, the union was on the verge of striking alongside the system's faculty, but it reached a last-minute deal with the CSU. The union has filed an unfair labor practice charge against the system, arguing that the CSU refused to honor contractually obligated raises and step increases for its members.
What the CSU says: The CSU maintains that conditions described in its collective bargaining agreement with the union — which “tied certain salary increases to the receipt of new, unallocated, ongoing state budget funding” — were not met.
What’s next: In an emailed statement, spokesperson Amy Bentley-Smith said the CSU welcomes “the opportunity to present the facts of this case before an administrative law judge.” After the formal hearing, the state board will propose a resolution to the dispute.
If you're enjoying this article, you'll love our daily newsletter, The LA Report. Each weekday, catch up on the 5 most pressing stories to start your morning in 3 minutes or less.
Wind moves palm trees on Monday, Dec. 29, 2025, in Stanton.
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Mel Melcon
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Los Angeles Times
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QUICK FACTS
Today’s weather: Mostly cloudy then sunny
Beaches: mid to upper 60s
Mountains: mid 60s to around 70 degrees
Inland: 64 to 71 degrees
Warnings and advisories: Wind advisory
What to expect: A mostly sunny afternoon with temperatures sticking to the low to mid 70s for most of Southern California. Breezy conditions will pick up in the afternoon for some valleys and mountain communities.
Read on ... for more details.
QUICK FACTS
Today’s weather: Mostly cloudy then sunny
Beaches: mid to upper 60s
Mountains: mid 60s to around 70 degrees
Inland: 64 to 71 degrees
Warnings and advisories: Wind advisory
The cool weather continues for one more day in Southern California. Later this evening, strong winds will kick in for some mountains and highway corridors ahead of a Santa Ana wind event slated for Friday.
Temperatures at the beaches are going to stick around the mid to upper 60s, and around 70 degrees more inland.
Coachella Valley, San Bernardino and Riverside County mountains will continue to see gusty winds until tonight.
At noon, the Antelope Valley will be under a wind advisory, with winds expected to reach 20 to 30 mph, and some gusts up to 50 mph. Wind advisories will also kick in for the 5 Freeway corridor, Ventura County mountains and the Santa Susana mountains, where gusts could reach 45 mph.
Libby Rainey
has been tracking how L.A. is prepping for the 2028 Olympic Games.
Published April 2, 2026 5:00 AM
The official Olympic flag returns to Los Angeles for the first time in 40 years.
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Dania Maxwell
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Getty Images
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Topline:
One or two line overview of the story, should be sharp and to the point. If it's the only thing they read it should still give them good info.
{ERASE ME — some possible lead ins, please change/add/delete what makes sense for story}
Why it matters:
Why now:
The backstory:
What's next:
Go deeper: {if you have stories you want to link add them here}
A key agreement outlining what city services Los Angeles will provide for the 2028 Olympic Games and how the cash-strapped city will be reimbursed for its extra work is now six months late.
High-stakes talks over that agreement between the city and the private Olympics organizing committee LA28 have dragged far past an Oct. 1 deadline, sparking concern from city officials and observers that taxpayer dollars could be on the line.
City Controller Kenneth Mejia, who audits and scrutinizes city finances, called the delay "deeply troubling."
"The City needs a guarantee from LA28 that they will not go over budget and will pay for all of the additional security, sanitation, transportation, administrative, and any other costs associated with the Games," Mejia said in a statement to LAist. "The preparation and execution of these events should not come at any cost to Los Angeles taxpayers."
The 2028 Olympics are intended to be privately financed, and an existing city agreement with LA28 states that the Olympics organizers, not L.A., will pay for extra costs for public services in support of the Games – like policing and traffic control.
But the nuts and bolts of that arrangement have not been finalized, and if the agreement leaves L.A. exposed to unexpected or additional expenses, taxpayers could end up paying many millions.
Hosting the Games is already an enormous financial risk for Los Angeles. The city is the financial backstop for the Olympic Games, meaning if the organizing committee runs into the red, L.A. will pick up the bill, along with the state of California.
The extra staff and resources the city will dedicate to the Games represents another area where L.A. may end up with surprise costs.
Why is the agreement delayed?
Neither the city nor LA28 have shared publicly what's holding up the deal.
Past public meetings and comments indicate that the two sides may disagree over the scope of LA28's obligation to cover city expenses.
At a December city council meeting, the city administrative officer and council members discussed the boundaries of where LA28's responsibility for a service like traffic control ends and the city's responsibility begins.
The city's Chief Legislative Analyst Sharon Tso, who is leading negotiations with LA28 along with the City Administrative Officer, told LAist in an email Wednesday that the city is still discussing the terms for things like cost estimates, service levels, and timelines for repayment.
"We continue to work diligently with LA28 to finalize the agreement," Tso wrote. "I do not have an anticipated completion date at this time."
Jacie Prieto Lopez, Vice President of Communications and Public Affairs for LA28, said in a statement provided to LAist that the organizing committee was working with city leadership to finalize the agreement.
"We remain engaged in good faith negotiations and look forward to our continued partnership with the City of Los Angeles," she said.
Once the agreement is completed, it will be submitted to the city council and mayor.
LA is counting on federal funding
LA28 isn't the only entity expected to pay L.A. for Olympics-related costs. The city also is banking on money from the federal government, which has allocated $1 billion for security costs.
The city administrative officer told the council last year that city spending on security at the Olympic venues, like for local police, should be covered by those funds.
