CONTACTStaffCAREER OPPORTUNITIESADVERTISE WITH USPRIVACY POLICYPRIVACY PREFERENCESTERMS OF USELEGAL NOTICE
© 2024 Pride Publishing Inc.
All Rights reserved
All Rights reserved
By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Private Policy and Terms of Use.
Opening arguments began Thursday in a Cook County, Ill., circuit court in a custody battle between a woman and her ex-husband, who is transgendered. The mother of a 10-year-old Chicago boy is seeking permanent custody, claiming that the transgendered man she married has no parental rights because the marriage was illegal. The mother's attorney claims that the state's ban on same-sex unions means that her partner was never the boy's legal father. The father visits the boy every other weekend and one night on off weeks. The mother wants to keep it that way, but the father wants to be appointed custodial parent. The couple, whose identities were withheld for the child's protection, married in 1985 without disclosing that the groom had been born a woman and undergone hormone therapy but still had female genitals. The mother became pregnant through artificial insemination. "There simply is no marriage to dissolve," attorney Burt Hochberg argued. "A transgendered individual has no standing to pursue custody." Cook County public guardian Patrick Murphy, representing the child, said gender and marriage are irrelevant to a boy who accepts and loves his father as a parent. "It doesn't matter if he's male or female, husband or wife," Murphy said. "The only thing that is important is that there's a 10-year-old who considers this man his dad and wants to live with him."
Want more breaking equality news & trending entertainment stories?
Check out our NEW 24/7 streaming service: the Advocate Channel!
Download the Advocate Channel App for your mobile phone and your favorite streaming device!
From our Sponsors
Most Popular
Here Are Our 2024 Election Predictions. Will They Come True?
November 07 2023 1:46 PM
Meet all 37 of the queer women in this season's WNBA
April 17 2024 11:24 AM
17 Celebs Who Are Out & Proud of Their Trans & Nonbinary Kids
November 30 2023 10:41 AM
Here Are the 15 Most LGBTQ-Friendly Cities in the U.S.
November 01 2023 5:09 PM
Which State Is the Queerest? These Are the States With the Most LGBTQ+ People
December 11 2023 10:00 AM
These 27 Senate Hearing Room Gay Sex Jokes Are Truly Exquisite
December 17 2023 3:33 PM
10 Cheeky and Homoerotic Photos From Bob Mizer's Nude Films
November 18 2023 10:05 PM
42 Flaming Hot Photos From 2024's Australian Firefighters Calendar
November 10 2023 6:08 PM
These Are the 5 States With the Smallest Percentage of LGBTQ+ People
December 13 2023 9:15 AM
Here are the 15 gayest travel destinations in the world: report
March 26 2024 9:23 AM
Watch Now: The Daily
Trending stories from our video partner Advocate Channel.
For more videos and shows go to advocatechannel.com.
Trending stories from our video partner Advocate Channel.
For more videos and shows go to advocatechannel.com.
Latest Stories
Biden will hammer Trump over abortion bans in Florida speech
April 23 2024 5:00 AM
Tristan Snell, who brought down Trump University, sees conviction in hush money case
April 22 2024 7:36 PM
Joe Biden admin marks Earth Day with major environmental initiatives
April 22 2024 4:18 PM
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott: 'We want to end' trans and gender nonconforming teachers
April 22 2024 4:13 PM
Nonbinary 17-year-old killed two years after being reported missing
April 22 2024 3:46 PM