Court denies father’s sex change to protect adult son

A South Korean court turned down a transgender father’s request to be legally recognized as female, citing the disapproval of family members.

The Incheon District Court in February ruled against the person only identified as Lee, in a verdict intended to protect the social status of his adult son.

The Korean court previously threw out a similar case involving underage children, and the latest marks the first of a kind in which an adult son’s legal position is taken into consideration when a parent changes gender.

Lee’s case began years ago when he, who was then married and had a child, spent hours applying make-up and wearing women’s clothes.

Constant conflict with his wife eventually led to a divorce and the wife gave up custody of their son. His wife later confessed that she was facing financial difficulties and did not trust her husband’s promise to give her all his assets to take custody of their son.

Growing up with his father, Lee’s son watched his dad transform his appearance to match his female identity. His father underwent breast augmentation surgery, facial plastic surgery and voice feminization.

About ten years after the divorce, the wife decided to take custody of her son, who called himself a victim of his father’s decisions. But the family’s conflict surfaced again when Lee sent his son a letter of consent for the registration of gender.

South Korean law requires a letter of consent from one’s parents or a close family member in order to correct the sexual identity on legal documents.

The son, who claimed he grew up in fear while living with his father, asked the court to stop the man from changing his sex. According to Yonhap, Lee’s son was afraid of disadvantages in his career if both his parents were registered as female.

“My dad brought a strange man to sleep together at home. Home was not a safe place for me to relax,” the son was quoted as saying.

An official from the Incheon District Court explained that the man’s registration was simply dismissed as his family members, including his son, refused to sign the agreement.

By Suk Gee-hyun (monicasuk@heraldcorp.com)