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News

Classmates Surprise Trans Teen With Money to Legally Change His Name

"All my teachers and fellow students have been so supportive of me ever since I came out," he said.

Taylor Henderson

Taylor Henderson is a PRIDE.com contributor. This proud Texas Bama studied Media Production/Studies and Sociology at The University of Texas at Austin, where he developed his passions for pop culture, writing, and videography. He's absolutely obsessed with Beyoncé, mangoes, and cheesy YA novels that allow him to vicariously experience the teen years he spent in the closet. He's also writing one!

Read Full Bio

Taylor Henderson

cornbreadsays

February 10 2020 4:37 PM EST

December 09 2022 9:12 AM EST

One Texas teen received the birthday surprise of a lifetime.

18-year-old Andrew unsuspectingly walked into a choir room and was shocked as dozens of friends gathered to sing him "Happy Birthday." Then they whipped out even a more heartfelt birthday surprise.

"Since you’re a legal adult, we raised enough money for you to change your name," says one of Andrew’s friends as they present him with an envelope and a certificate.

@fluffiestboy
I don’t deserve friends as good as mine🥺🥰 #birthday #trans #ftm #legaladult

The video first went viral on TikTok before jumping over to Twitter, where it currently has over 539,000 likes and has elicited some emotional responses from Twitter users.

\u201c@komahina__ @Anna_DeNight Happy birthday to you Andi and I hope everything in your life is all that you hope for cause this right here, is everything.\u201d
— \u2606 \u212c\ud835\udcc7\ud835\udcbe\ud835\udcb6\ud835\udcc3\ud835\udcc3\ud835\udcb6\u2606 (@\u2606 \u212c\ud835\udcc7\ud835\udcbe\ud835\udcb6\ud835\udcc3\ud835\udcc3\ud835\udcb6\u2606) 1581142051

None
— Danikins\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08\ud83e\udde3 (Taylor\u2019s Version) (@Danikins\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08\ud83e\udde3 (Taylor\u2019s Version)) 1581198572

"They’ve been planning it for a month and I’m surprised none of them slipped up or even hinted at it happening," Andrew told PinkNews. He "had absolutely no clue" what his friends at Texas' Grand Prairie Fine Arts Academy were up to.

"All my teachers and fellow students have been so supportive of me ever since I came out," he said.

As PinkNews points out, to legally change your name in Texas, you have to petition the court and there's usually a filing fee as well as the costs of replacing costs documents like passports and driver’s licenses.