An Ecuadorian man changed his legal gender from male to female during a custody battle in an attempt to gain full custody of his daughters. Ecuadorian law favors women over men during family court matters. The man’s logic is that if the court favors women, then he will become a woman. In a statement to local media, René Salinas Ramos stated: “my actions are not against anyone in particular, but against the system.” Ramos also stated that his children live in an abusive environment with their mother and that he hasn’t seen his children in five months.
Several trans rights groups have spoken out against what Salinas Ramos is doing. They say his legal gender change in an attempt to gain custody of his children is insincere and “violates the spirit of the law.” Rhetoric from these groups makes it sound like they would like to add conditionality to becoming trans. This is a 180-degree turnaround from their reaction to people who claim 16-year-old boys claiming transgenderism are doing so simply to get access to women’s locker rooms. That explanation is often labeled as “transphobic” by the very same groups who question whether Salinas Ramos is truly transgender or not.
Although this case is taking place in Ecuador, parallels can be drawn between it and other cases that happen in the United States. Many fathers face alienation from their children at the hands of vindictive mothers and a biased family court system. Recent liberal gender laws may be completely turned on their heads if court cases are won when heterosexual men pull the “Uno” card of claiming transgenderism or homosexuality.
SOURCES:
Man Legally Changed Gender to Gain Custody of His Kids. Trans Groups Are Concerned.
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