Judge in Lebanon Allows Transgender Woman to Change Sex Marker in Documents
Wassim Zahr al-Din, a civil judge in southern Lebanon, has granted a transgender woman’s petition to change her name and sex marker in official documents. The decision was made last month, despite the country’s lack of legislation regulating gender recognition.
In an interview with the Beirut-based news outlet Al-Modon, the judge defended his ruling following a wave of criticism from the public and religious figures. According to Zahr al-Din, he acted in accordance with the law and his own conscience, relying on independent medical and psychological reports.
In court documents, the applicant is referred to by the initials R.D. According to testimonies, she has identified and lived as a woman since childhood. The discrepancy between her appearance and official documents, where she was listed as male, widened after R.D. underwent gender-affirming surgery in Thailand. The judge noted that keeping her previous legal status no longer reflected her actual circumstances and exposed the applicant to discrimination.
“They must provide a medical and psychological report and prove that it is impossible for them to return to being male,” Zahr al-Din explained. Based on medical evidence, the judge concluded that in this case, such a return is 100% impossible.
As LGBTQ Nation reports , the applicant had previously drawn public attention after a viral New Year’s Eve video was published, showing her performing a belly dance.
Activists from the Lebanese LGBTQ organization Helem point out that transgender people in the country face serious difficulties due to strict religious norms, especially outside the capital. The lack of a legal framework and a shortage of specialized medical professionals force many to either hide their identity or travel abroad for surgical procedures.
