Revealed: The transgender man fighting to be registered as 'father' or 'parent' rather than a mother on his child's birth certificate after judge rules he CAN be named

The identity of a transgender man fighting to be registered as a 'father' or 'parent' rather than a mother on his child...

The identity of a transgender man fighting to be registered as a 'father' or 'parent' rather than a mother on his child's birth certificate can now be revealed after a senior judge ruled he could be named. 

Sir Andrew McFarlane lifted a reporting restriction which barred journalists from naming Freddy McConnell, 32, as the single parent involved in the case.

Mr McConnell, who is originally from Deal, Kent, wants his child to be the first in Britain to legally not have a mother.

He is now waiting for Sir Andrew to decide if he should be registered as a father or parent on the child's birth certificate rather than a mother.

He started taking testosterone aged 25 and had breast tissue removed a year later, but never had a hysterectomy to remove his uterus because he had not ruled out wanting children. 

Mr McConnell conceived through IVF treatment after using a sperm donor. He also stopped taking testosterone in a bid to become pregnant. 

Sir Andrew, president of the Family Division of the High Court, finished analysing legal argument at a High Court hearing earlier this year. He is expected to publish a ruling in the near future.

Another judge made an order at a preliminary hearing last year, preventing Mr McConnell and the child being named in media reports of the case.

But a number of national newspaper editors mounted a challenge to the order after Mr McConnell featured in a documentary film and newspaper article about his life and journey to parenthood.

They said journalists should, as a result of that 'self-generated publicity', also be allowed to name Mr McConnell in reports of the litigation.

Editors did not argue that the child should be named in media reports. Mr McConnell was against the name bar being lifted, but Sir Andrew ruled in favour of editors.

Lawyers independently representing the child were also opposed, and the judge said the child should remain anonymous.

The judge outlined his decision in a judgment published on Tuesday. He had analysed argument at a recent High Court hearing in London.

Mr McConnell is a single parent who was born a woman but now lives as a man after surgery.

Sir Andrew heard that Mr McConnell was biologically able to get pregnant and give birth but had legally become a man when the child was born.

Mr McConnell wants to be identified as the child's father or parent on a birth certificate, but a registrar told him that the law requires people who give birth to be registered as mothers.

He has taken legal action against the General Register Office, which administers the registration of births and deaths in England and Wales, after complaining of discrimination.

Lawyers say the child will be the first person born in England and Wales not to legally have a mother if the claim succeeds.

Sir Andrew heard argument from lawyers representing Mr McConnell, the child, the head of the General Register Office, Department of Health and Social Care ministers and Home Office ministers.

Lawyers say other transgender men have given birth but have been registered on birth certificates as mothers.

Timeline of Freddy McConnell's case 

• Last September: Details emerge of a man going to the High Court in an attempt to be listed as 'father' or 'parent' on child's birth certificate
• February: Sir Andrew McFarlane, the president of the Family Division, holds a hearing into the case
• April: A film called 'Seahorse' about the man premieres at the TriBeca Film Festival in New York
• May: Sir Andrew says it is 'striking' that the man did not mention the documentary from the initial court proceedings
• Yesterday: Sir Andrew lifts the anonymity order, revealing the man's identity as Freddy McConnell