Kerala trans couple: Zahhad, who delivered baby, wants to be named father in birth certificate

Trans man Zahhad wants his name registered as baby's father, and Ziya Paval, his trans woman partner, as its mother.

ByPTI

Published Feb 11, 2023 | 6:30 PMUpdatedFeb 11, 2023 | 6:30 PM

Transman pregnancy Kerala

A transgender couple, who were recently blessed with a baby, has approached the hospital authorities demanding to register their new gender identity in the birth certificate and other documents of the newborn.

Though Zahad delivered the child, the trans-man wants his name to be registered as the father of the baby, and Ziya Paval, his trans woman partner, as its mother.

Paval told PTI that a request has been submitted to the Government Medical College Hospital authorities in Kozhikode in this regard.

Also Read: First transgender to officiate a sports event in India

“We gave a letter to the hospital authorities in this regard and they assured us that it will be considered. As per the recent verdicts of the Supreme Court and the Transgender Persons Act 2019, we have the right to change our gender,” she said.

Paval also said they have the transgender identity card issued by the Union government and so they expect that there won’t be any legal hurdle in having their request granted.

Related: Kerala-based trans couple have been blessed with a child

Baby’s doing fine

Asked how the baby and its “father” were doing, she said both of them were perfectly okay and happy.

“Me and Zahad are enjoying every bit of these happy days and our parenthood. The happiness of having a biological child is beyond words. This is our own child… no one can stake any claim on our baby… We are confident that the baby won’t leave us one day as we are its actual parents,” an excited Paval added.

The trans woman said the hospital authorities are ensuring breast milk to the child at frequent intervals from their breast milk bank and supporting them in all possible ways.

The trans couple was blessed with the baby through a Caesarean Section, on Wednesday, 8 February — considered to be the first such case in the country.

They had declined to reveal the gender of the new-born and said they did not want to make it public right now.