Girl Baby Born Boy Fights Bureaucracy (Press, 16 August 1983)
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Summary: Girl Baby Born Boy Fights Bureaucracy (Press, 16 August 1983)
The case of a South Australian woman, Miss Margaret Kendle, has highlighted the urgent need for legal reform regarding sexual reassignment in Australia. At just 22 years old, Miss Kendle is advocating for her 15-month-old child, originally identified as male and named Travis at birth, to have its sex officially recognised as female following a sex reassignment surgery. The surgery was deemed necessary due to the baby’s birth defects, particularly the absence of a functional penis. Doctors advised Miss Kendle that raising her child as a girl would be more beneficial for leading a normal life. Despite the surgery and the subsequent naming of the child as Kylie Anne, the South Australian Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Division has refused to amend the birth certificate to reflect her new gender. This refusal has left Miss Kendle frustrated, especially since she wishes to have her child baptised but cannot do so without an appropriate birth certificate. She expressed concern about the long-term implications for her child's identity, particularly when the child reaches maturity and may require identification documents like a birth certificate for employment or travel, which currently state a male identity. Senator Gareth Evans, the Attorney-General, acknowledged the complexities surrounding birth certificate descriptions, passports, and marriage laws related to gender reassignment. Earlier in 1983, State and Federal Attorney-Generals recognised the issue's urgency and established a working party to explore solutions. Senator Evans expressed optimism that uniform legislation could be developed within the following year to address these issues. In summary, the situation of Miss Kendle is pressing, urging a reevaluation of existing South Australian laws, which currently prohibit changes to birth certificates if the original sex has been recorded. The South Australian Attorney-General, Mr Chris Sumner, has been informed of the Kendle case and is reviewing the details to determine the appropriate legal actions.
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