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Her New Name Becomes Susan
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Published: June 8, 2007
CLEARWATER - It's official.
Steven Stanton, the former Largo city manager fired after revealing plans to have a sex change, had Steven legally changed to Susan on Thursday.
Stanton's middle name, Bruce, also was replaced by a new one: Ashley.
Stanton, 48, filed a court petition for the new identity in April. At a brief, routine hearing Thursday, Circuit Judge Cynthia J. Newton granted Stanton's request.
'Miss Stanton, congratulations and I wish you the very best,' Newton said.
The name change is one step in a process Stanton is pursuing to bridge her old life as a man with her new one as a woman, and become what she calls 'one holistic, authentic person.'
'I didn't anticipate this being the emotional experience it was,' Stanton told reporters after the hearing. 'It's a critical step.'
She has been going by the name Susan for months and has been dressing as a woman as well. In that role she lobbied in Washington this past month for legislation to stop discrimination against transgender people. She also applied for a city manager's post in Sarasota as a woman, but was rejected and remains unemployed.
She still wears the same wedding ring, and remains married to Donna Becker Stanton. The couple have a teenage son.
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