Transgender Man Who Gave Birth Loses Fight Not To Be Described As ‘Mother’

A transgender man who gave birth has lost his fight not to be described as the “mother” of the child on its birth certificate.

Freddy McConnell, a multimedia journalist who works for The Guardian, took his battle to be registered as the father or parent to the High Court.

Had he been successful, his victory would have meant the child will have been the first person born in England and Wales not to legally have a mother. 

Other transgender men have given birth but have been registered on birth certificates as mothers.

Sir Andrew, President of the Family Division of the High Court, heard how McConnell is a single parent who was born a woman but now lives as a man after surgery.

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

A registrar told him that the law required people who give birth to be registered as mothers.

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

McConnell, whose son is 18 months old, made a documentary about his experience of pregnancy and parenthood, called Seahorse: The Dad Who Gave Birth.