Singapore couple challenges forced marriage annulment after husband's sex change
What's the story
In a rare incident, Singapore annulled the marriage of a couple after the husband underwent a sex change surgery last year, saying the nation-state didn't permit same-sex marriages. The couple, Faith and Bryce Volta, who got married as man and wife in 2015, have now legally challenged the government's decision, their lawyer said on Monday, reported AFP. Read on to know more.
Backstory
Same-sex marriages are banned in Singapore
Soon after getting married, Faith, the husband, reportedly underwent a sex-change surgery and updated his identity as "female" on his national identity card. The state's registrar of marriages met the couple six months later to discuss the sex change. However, he later informed the duo that their marriage would have to be annulled since same-sex unions were considered illegal under Singapore law.
Details
In Singapore, marriage considered a union between man and woman
Faith and Bryce have now asked Singapore's high court to review the registrar's decision. Notably, Singapore defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman, thereby discrediting all other LGBTQ unions. Though the nation doesn't actively enforce the law which makes homosexuality a criminal offense, its Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has said it isn't yet ready for same-sex marriage.