Adelaide dad must get divorce to officially become woman

An Adelaide father of four who had a sex change to become a woman is being forced to seek a divorce after 20 years’ marriage in order to be legally recognised as a woman.

The woman, who remains anonymous, began her transition two years ago. But a forced divorce provision of the South Australian Sexual Reassignment Act has placed a final hurdle in her way.

Greens MLC Tammy Franks is advocating change in the law to allow couples in which one person has undergone a gender change to remain married. She has raised the issue in Parliament and read a letter from the Adelaide resident.

“(My wife) has adapted to my changes remarkably well, as have our four children, who are quite happy with their new Mada.

But, to complete this journey, and be recognised as the woman I have become, the government tells me I must destroy this happy marriage of 20 years, and break up my family, which is not going to happen.

So, until this law changes I will be known as Mr,” she read, according to The Advertiser.

Australian Marriage Equality national director Rodney Croome argues that the circumstances which same-sex couples are facing involve legal disadvantages as well as emotional ones.

“Forcing people against their will to get a divorce, to break their solemn vows to each other because someone has decided to be true to themselves demeans marriage,” Croome told The Advertiser.

There is currently no constitutional barrier to prevent South Australia from changing the forced divorce provision in the Sexual Reassignment Act, Croome said.

“[This] is a cruel and, indeed, inhuman piece of legislation we currently have in this state,” Franks told The Advertiser.