Singapore voids trans woman’s marriage

SINGAPORE’S Registry of Marriages has voided a marriage after one of the couple underwent gender transition.

The pair married in 2015, and last year one updated their identity documents to reflect their gender transition, according to The Straits Times.

For eight months the two women remained married, until the Registry of Marriages voided the partnership in February.

Three marriages have been voided due to gender transition in Singapore, where same-sex marriage is not legal.

A Registry of Marriages spokesperson said the marriages were voided “for reasons including impersonation by one party”.

“Singapore law does not recognise a marriage where both parties are of the same sex,” he said.

“At the point of marriage, a couple must be man and woman, and must want to be and want to remain as man and woman in the marriage.”

A family lawyer criticised the move by the Registry of Marriages, questioning their authority to void the union without going to court.

“There is no requirement that parties must remain of the same gender throughout the marriage, nor is there any provision that such marriages are void,” said lawyer Sim Bock Eng.

Trans people can be married in Singapore, providing it is to someone of the opposite sex.

In Australia, trans people can similarly marry someone of the opposite sex only. Most states require a married trans person to divorce before correcting their birth certificate.