Zahhad and Ziya Paval, Kerala’s first openly transgender couple, have approached the Kerala High Court to change the designations on their child’s birth certificate. Zahhad, a transman, and Ziya Paval, a transwoman, became parents when Zahhad gave birth to their child in February of this year.
The Kozhikode Corporation recorded the mother’s name as Zahhad (transgender) and the father’s name as Ziya (transgender) on the birth certificate, attracting media attention due to their unique situation.
The couple requested the Corporation to modify the birth certificate’s designation from “mother” and “father” to “parent.” However, their request was denied, leading them to file a petition in the High Court.
The petitioners explained that their request was based on the fact that Zahhad, the child’s biological mother, identifies as male and has been living as a male member of society for years. They argued that since a man giving birth is scientifically contradictory, they sought the omission of “father” and “mother” from the certificate, replacing it with “Parent.” The aim was to spare their child from potential embarrassment in various aspects of life, including school admission, official documents, and job-related matters.
The petitioners asserted that the denial of the revised birth certificate violates their constitutional rights and is contrary to the landmark NALSA judgment by the Supreme Court.
They pointed out that in many other countries, including for same-sex couples, the birth certificate allows for the choice of designations such as “mother,” “father,” and “parent.”
The judge acknowledged the petitioners’ genuine grievance and scheduled the next hearing for July 27 after directing the petitioners’ attorney to include additional respondents.
