28/07/2025
Open Letter & Petition:
Help Trans Woman Refugee Rula Hummada Change Her Name in Slovenia
Dear Friends, Allies, and Supporters of Human Rights,
My name is Rula Hummada, and I came to Slovenia as a refugee one and a half years ago. I fled Syria at age twelve, escaping a place where I was nearly murdered simply for being transgender. In my home country - under both the old and the new regime - q***r people like me live under constant threat of violence and death.
Today, I face a new barrier to living my truth: in my Slovenian documents, I am still forced to use the name given to me at birth, a name that does not fit who I am. When I asked the Municipality of Maribor to correct my name, I was told that, as a non‐Slovene citizen, they could not help me and that I should contact my country’s embassy. But I cannot - and must not - turn to any Syrian authority, because I am a refugee.
All I ask is simple: to be known as Rula. That name carries my identity, my dignity, my very existence as a woman. For the Slovenian authorities, updating my name may seem like a small administrative gesture. For me, it is the difference between invisibility and being recognized as the person I truly am.
This is why I am asking for your support.
By signing this petition, you stand with me in calling on the Republic of Slovenia to:
1. Allow name changes in personal documents for all transgender refugees, regardless of citizenship status.
2. Implement clear, humane procedures so that people like me can update our names safely and without fear.
3. Recognize the fundamental right of every person - citizen or refugee - to have a name that reflects their gender identity.
If you believe in human dignity, equality, and the right to self‐determination, please add your name below and share this letter widely. Together, we can ensure that Rula - and every trans person seeking safety in Slovenia - finds the respect and recognition they deserve.
SIGN THE PETITION HERE:
https://rekasi.org/en/open-letter-petition-help-trans-woman-refugee-rula-hummada-change-her-name-in-slovenia/67-open-letter-petition-help-trans-woman-refugee-rula-hummada-change-her-name-in-slovenia