Babs Siperstein Humanities & Medicine Seminar - Focus on Transgender

The Babs Siperstein Humanities and Medicine Seminar mission is to provide useful information and raise awareness of the needs of gender minority individuals for health professionals, patients, family members, learners, and the community-at-large. 

The Babs Siperstein Law (P.L. 2018, Chapter 58, S478-2R) allows individuals to change their gender identity on their birth certificate without "proof of surgery" in the state of New Jersey. It has been in effect since February 1, 2018. New Jersey is the fourth state in the nation to add the gender neutral option "X" on birth certificates, along with California, Oregon, Washington, and New York City. More information on the law is available here. 

Barbra (Babs) Casper Siperstein (1942-2019) to whom the law is named was a New Jersey transgender activist. Siperstein is one the the inaugural fifty American "pioneers, trailblazers, and heroes" on the National LGBTQ Wall of Honor with the Stonewall National Monument in New York's Stonewall Inn. 

Gurbir S. Grewal, the Attorney General of New Jersey, issued the Attorney General Law Enforcement Directive no. 2019-3 on November 20, 2019. The document defines expectations for respectful communication and general protocol for interacting with LGBTQAI+ individuals.