Legal Commentary

Friday Morning News and Open Thread

By Jeralyn

In the news this morning:

• Patrick Kennedy returns to rehab
• Madonna wins her adoption fight in the Malawi Supreme Court
• Chasity Bono is undergoing a sex change operation to become a man. According to TMZ, once her breasts are removed, she can petition the court to legally change her sex. At that point, she is a "he" and can legally marry. How awful, that a person must undergo radical surgery to be able to marry his or her partner of choice.

  At a point during the gender change -- typically when breasts are removed -- the subject can go to court and ask a judge to legally change his/her sex. It's discretionary on the part of the judge in determining when the person switches sex and is entitled to a legal change, but typically it's when the breasts are removed. Judges typically do not require a genitalia switch as a prerequisite to a sex change.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

Full post as published by TalkLeft on June 12, 2009 (boomark / email).