Case for name change in Plovdiv
17/01/2007
By
Desislava Petrova - BGO Gemini
An unusual case for name change was brought up before a court in Plovdiv by a young woman who felt that her inner perception of herself was in contradiction with her appearance and other people's perception of her belonging to either one gender. In her official papers, Magdalena Ilieva admits that she has been postponing that important step for a while now, but the ever growing tolerance in the Bulgarian society and the society's view of homosexuals as different but equal, has made her put an end of her dilemma. Magdalena's undertaking is sensational because it is usually men who opt for gender change. This case is one of a kind in Plovdiv's Court of Law.
Magdalena started viewing herself critically in the mirror when she was only a child, when her relatives gave her dolls for presents, she wanted a soccer ball. Hair clips and all the other typically girly things were her biggest nightmare. The young lady chose wrestling and boxing over ballet and violin lessons. That is when she started to realize that the man inside her was trapped in her biologically female body. The hardest periods of all was adolescence. The hormonal attack was driving her to the edge and the society's view of transgendered people made her feel absolutely inadequate to the surrounding world.
As the years passed, Magdalena came more and more to terms with who she is, and started to appear as a man. She introduced herself with a male name when she met somebody for the first time. The young lady became utterly comfortable with her identity as society's attitudes were rapidly changing. Her inner comfort was boosted even more by realizing the pleasures she shared with her female partners.
The court could not decide for a gender change before the medical operation is complete. She has to undergo a surgical operation, as well as some other procedures related to the completion of her gender change, in order for the court to be able to come up with a verdict.
Magdalena Ilieva herself is eager to begin with the surgical operations as soon as possible, so that her emotional struggle could be put to an end. In order to be more convincing before the court of law, she is currently going through various examinations of sexual identity. Furthermore, psychiatrist and psychologists are to decide whether she adequately understands the conditions of her being at the moment and whether she realizes the consequences her actions might have.
Source: Monitor newspaper, Bulgaria
Magdalena started viewing herself critically in the mirror when she was only a child, when her relatives gave her dolls for presents, she wanted a soccer ball. Hair clips and all the other typically girly things were her biggest nightmare. The young lady chose wrestling and boxing over ballet and violin lessons. That is when she started to realize that the man inside her was trapped in her biologically female body. The hardest periods of all was adolescence. The hormonal attack was driving her to the edge and the society's view of transgendered people made her feel absolutely inadequate to the surrounding world.
As the years passed, Magdalena came more and more to terms with who she is, and started to appear as a man. She introduced herself with a male name when she met somebody for the first time. The young lady became utterly comfortable with her identity as society's attitudes were rapidly changing. Her inner comfort was boosted even more by realizing the pleasures she shared with her female partners.
The court could not decide for a gender change before the medical operation is complete. She has to undergo a surgical operation, as well as some other procedures related to the completion of her gender change, in order for the court to be able to come up with a verdict.
Magdalena Ilieva herself is eager to begin with the surgical operations as soon as possible, so that her emotional struggle could be put to an end. In order to be more convincing before the court of law, she is currently going through various examinations of sexual identity. Furthermore, psychiatrist and psychologists are to decide whether she adequately understands the conditions of her being at the moment and whether she realizes the consequences her actions might have.
Source: Monitor newspaper, Bulgaria
