"Why Do Only Women Get Custody?" Transgender Man from Ecuador

"Will Set Legal Precedent in Custody Dispute"
LGBTQ+ Group Criticizes, "Unacceptable"

A case of a man in Ecuador changing his gender to female in order to gain custody has become a hot topic.

According to Ecuadorian daily newspapers El Universo and El Comercio on the 4th (local time), Mr. Rene Salinas Ramos (47), who lives in Cuenca, Azuay Province in southern Ecuador, legally changed his gender from male to female last week.

Salinas Ramos, the father of two daughters, explained the reason for his gender transition in an interview with local media, saying, "This decision has nothing to do with sexual orientation; it was solely to set a legal precedent in the custody dispute."

June 2019 Ecuador 'LGBTQ+ Pride Day' March held in Quito
Photo by EPA·Yonhap News

In Ecuador, custody generally prioritizes the biological mother except in very few cases such as criminal offenses.

He emphasized that "the system stigmatizes men simply for being male and takes away their right to be parents," arguing that the legal system forces one to become a 'mother.' He added, "This is a dispute with the authorities who believe care should be entrusted to women," and claimed, "There are even signs of abuse against my second daughter." He particularly stressed that this decision is "a proof of love for my daughters."

Upon learning of this, Ecuadorian LGBTIQ organizations have expressed opposition, calling the situation unacceptable.

One LGBTIQ organization issued a statement saying, "We are surprised that a noticeably cisgender person (someone whose biological sex and gender identity match) was able to easily pass the gender change," highlighting past issues with transgender gender recognition in Cuenca.

Another organization criticized the authorities for allowing gender changes solely for child custody, stating, "Regulations related to gender transition are not meant for specific cases but should be based on public interest standards."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.