Emirati women seek sex change, UAE court asks for medical report

Abu Dhabi - They had filed a lawsuit at the Abu Dhabi Federal Court of First Instance seeking permission to be allowed to become men

The three Emirati women, who have gone to court to seek legal permission to change their gender, will be medically examined to assess their physical and psychological conditions.
The presiding judge in the case has asked the public prosecution to speed up the work of the committee assigned to examine the women, and present a report on whether they are eligible for sex change.
The young Emirati women had filed a lawsuit at the Abu Dhabi Federal Court of First Instance seeking permission to be allowed to become men after reportedly undergoing sex change operations abroad. The transgender women, all aged below 24, asked the court for permission to change their gender and also have their female names changed to that of males in the government nationals' registry.
The women had presented medical reports from European hospitals that recommended the sex change operations.
In the latest hearing, the court said it was still waiting for the medical report that will be issued by the expert committee after examining the physical and psychological conditions of the women before it proceeds with the case.
Ali Abdullah Al Mansouri, the lawyer representing the three women, said the committee has held several sessions for over a year to examine the physical and psychological status of his client but they haven't come out with a final report.
"If the committee's report recommends that the women are illegible for sex change, then the court will issue a verdict to that effect," said the lawyer.
Al Mansoori earlier said that the Emirati women underwent sex change operations in a European country after suffering from congenital defects and having masculine features including significant hair growth on their legs, male voice and other features "that distinguished them from women".
The lawyer noted that his clients had received "many medical reports" that recommended the sex change operations and now want legal permission to have their gender and names changed in government records.
"The young women said they felt as if they were males from an early age. The sex change operations were considered after several specialised medical committees examined them and confirmed that they had biological disorders which affected them psychologically," said Al Mansoori.
The Federal Law No. (4) of 2016 on medical matters, which came into effect last year, permits a sex change operation if a person's gender is unclear or if a medical examination confirms that their physical features do not match their biological, physiological and genetic characteristics, according to the lawyer.
The trial was adjourned until October 29.
ismail@khaleejtimes.com

• Abu Dhabi