Transgender man fighting to be registered as ‘father’ or ‘parent’

A senior judge has ruled the identity of a transgender man who has given birth to a child and is in a legal battle because he does want to be described as ‘mother’ on a birth certificate can be revealed.

Sir Andrew McFarlane lifted a reporting restriction which barred journalists from naming Freddy McConnell as the single parent involved in the case.

Mr McConnell is waiting for Sir Andrew to decide whether he should be registered as father or parent rather than mother on a birth certificate.

Sir Andrew, president of the Family Division of the High Court, finished analysing legal argument at a High Court hearing earlier this year. He is expected to publish a ruling in the near future.

Another judge made an order at a preliminary hearing last year, preventing Mr McConnell and the child being named in media reports of the case.

But a number of national newspaper editors mounted a challenge to the order after Mr McConnell featured in a documentary film and newspaper article about his life and journey to parenthood.

They said journalists should, as a result of that ‘self-generated publicity’, also be allowed to name Mr McConnell in reports of the litigation.

National newspaper editors mounted a challenge to the order after Mr McConnell (pictured) featured in a documentary film and newspaper article about his life and journey to parenthood

Editors did not argue that the child should be named in media reports. Mr McConnell was against the name bar being lifted, but Sir Andrew ruled in favour of editors.

Lawyers independently representing the child were also opposed, and the judge said the child should remain anonymous.

The judge outlined his decision in a judgment published on Tuesday. He had analysed argument at a recent High Court hearing in London.

Mr McConnell is a single parent who was born a woman but now lives as a man after surgery.

Sir Andrew heard that Mr McConnell was biologically able to get pregnant and give birth but had legally become a man when the child was born.

Mr McConnell (pictured) was biologically able to get pregnant and give birth but had legally become a man when the child was born, the judge was told

Mr McConnell wants to be identified as the child’s father or parent on a birth certificate, but a registrar told him that the law requires people who give birth to be registered as mothers.

He has taken legal action against the General Register Office, which administers the registration of births and deaths in England and Wales, after complaining of discrimination.

Lawyers say the child will be the first person born in England and Wales not to legally have a mother if the claim succeeds.

Sir Andrew heard argument from lawyers representing Mr McConnell, the child, the head of the General Register Office, Department of Health and Social Care ministers and Home Office ministers.

Lawyers say other transgender men have given birth but have been registered on birth certificates as mothers.