A transgender man who made history by giving birth to a baby is facing a legal battle to be named as the father on the child’s birth certificate.
Freddy McConnell, 32, transitioned from female to male before giving birth in 2018; he had been living as a male for several years and had been taking testosterone from the age of 25, as well as undergoing chest reshaping surgery.
A proud transgender campaigner, Freddy requested to be named as the father when he went to register his firstborn’s birth certificate. However, the General Register Office refused, claiming that a child legally has to have a mother.
Freddy objected, pointing out he is now – and was on the day his child was born – legally a man and should be recognised as such on the legal document.
The new father’s objections have led to a High Court battle, in which Freddy’s lawyer is arguing it’s a breach of his human rights to force him to be recognised as the baby’s mother.
As reported by The Guardian, Freddy had sought a judicial review in the family division of the high court and during the case, his identity and that of his child were protected by an anonymity order.
However, media organisations requested that order was lifted, arguing the new dad had been planning a documentary about the conception, pregnancy and birth of his child, and so he cannot expect to remain anonymous.
