A refusal to change a birth certificate to reflect the fact that a person had a sex change revived all the "old conflicts and distress" that led the person to have the gender reassignment surgery in the first place, the High Court was told yesterday.
Dr David Dalrymple, of Charing Cross Hospital, London, was giving evidence on the third day of an action by a transsexual dentist, Lydia Annice Foy (54), of Athy, Co Kildare, who is challenging the refusal of the Registrar of Births, Marriages and Deaths to record her sex as female. He said transsexuals felt deprived when they were refused permission to change their sex on their birth certs. Inability to change the certificate could have serious psychological effects which may require medication.
Dr Dalrymple said he examined Ms Foy in his consultancy rooms in England on July 9th 1992 at the request of a surgeon who was to perform gender reassignment surgery. The surgery would not have gone ahead had Dr Dalrymple had any reservations.
Issues related to Ms Foy's marriage, which lasted about 14 years, were heard in camera. The hearing, before Mr Justice McKechnie, resumes on Tuesday.