PigBenis
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A JUDGE has allowed a 12-year-old girl to begin a taxpayer-funded sex change, despite objections from the child's father.
The girl, who cannot be named, has begun court-approved hormone treatment in the first step towards becoming a boy.
The Family Court orders also permit the girl to apply for a new birth certificate, passport and Medicare card in a boy's name.
The application to allow the hormone treatment was lodged by the girl's mother.
An endocrinologist, a psychiatrist, a family counsellor, a State Government watchdog and a lawyer acting for the child all supported the plan.
Only her father, who lives interstate, opposed the proposed sex change, but he did not attend the final court hearing and could not afford to send a lawyer on his behalf.
The court was told he could not accept his daughter had always seen herself as a boy and considered her too young to make such a decision.
The mother expressed sadness and deep concern for her daughter, but said she would stand by her no matter what.
The child's lawyer told the court she considered the girl to be capable of making an informed decision about the sex-change procedure.
Justice Heather Carter's decision makes the girl one of the youngest patients in Australia granted permission to begin a sex swap.
News of the judge's decision yesterday ignited debate among medical ethicists and child-health experts.
Medical ethicist Dr Nicholas Tonti-Filippini said the decision was astounding.
"I fail to see how it can be in the interests of a young girl to undergo treatment that will change her for the rest of her life,'' he said.
"Twelve is a time of great uncertainty.''
The girl, who cannot be named, has begun court-approved hormone treatment in the first step towards becoming a boy.
The Family Court orders also permit the girl to apply for a new birth certificate, passport and Medicare card in a boy's name.
The application to allow the hormone treatment was lodged by the girl's mother.
An endocrinologist, a psychiatrist, a family counsellor, a State Government watchdog and a lawyer acting for the child all supported the plan.
Only her father, who lives interstate, opposed the proposed sex change, but he did not attend the final court hearing and could not afford to send a lawyer on his behalf.
The court was told he could not accept his daughter had always seen herself as a boy and considered her too young to make such a decision.
The mother expressed sadness and deep concern for her daughter, but said she would stand by her no matter what.
The child's lawyer told the court she considered the girl to be capable of making an informed decision about the sex-change procedure.
Justice Heather Carter's decision makes the girl one of the youngest patients in Australia granted permission to begin a sex swap.
News of the judge's decision yesterday ignited debate among medical ethicists and child-health experts.
Medical ethicist Dr Nicholas Tonti-Filippini said the decision was astounding.
"I fail to see how it can be in the interests of a young girl to undergo treatment that will change her for the rest of her life,'' he said.
"Twelve is a time of great uncertainty.''
