Transgender Man Gives Birth, Takes Legal Action To Be Named Father On Birth Certificate
32-year-old Freddy McConnell is a British journalist, and works for the Guardian. He previously applied to have his name and his child’s kept from the public. However, the request was denied after multiple appeals were filed by some major publications.
In a 2018 preliminary hearing, McConnell initially won the right to anonymity. However, he ended up losing the privilege after opposing lawyers argued that his decision to be featured in “Seahorse,” a BBC documentary film that tells about his transition and pregnancy, was an act of “self-generated publicity” and meant that other journalists should also have permission to use his name when reporting his case.
McConnell initially sought anonymity for fear that he or his child would be bullied, and stated, “Protecting my child has always been and will always be my number one concern. This was the purpose of the anonymity order. Now that my anonymity has been lifted, I embrace the opportunity to draw focus on the need for equality in this area of the law. All children should be able to have their legal parents correctly and accurately recorded on their birth certificates.”
