... British transsexuals took their cases to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, arguing that British law's refusal to allow them to change the sex on their birth certificate deprived them of their right to respect for a private life1. It was not until the case of Goodwin and "I" in July 2002 that the majority of the judges upheld an appeal. This judgement forced the British Government to announce legal reform, which it did on 13 December 2002. The new law, expected to come into force by 2004, will allow transsexuals to apply for substitute birth certificates stating their new sex and to marry into their adopted gender. It is on the assumption that the reform will come into force by the date suggested that I base this essay. It will be the most significant legal change ever to affect transsexuals in the UK, re-writing their right to respect ...

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