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Transsexual wins legal right to adopt her next-door neighbor's infant

After five months of waiting and struggling, a local transsexual woman was allowed Friday by the Chiayi District Court to become an adoptive parent to a six-month-old baby boy, marking a precedent in Taiwan legal history.

Chang Chia-ling (張家菱), also known as "Chung Ling," was allowed to adopt the baby, whose parents have been unable to look after him since birth, on the grounds that she has sufficient family support to raise the child, according to sources from the Chiayi District Court.

Chang filed a request with the Chiayi District Court in May to adopt the baby, but the court did not respond favorably for several months, as court officials doubted her ability to take care of a child as she is a "show girl" with what the officials thought is an "odd" sexual history.

Chang makes her living as a drag show actress in southern Taiwan.

After reviewing all relevant papers and carrying out fact-finding visits to the child's biological mother's home, as well as to Chang's home, the judges gave the green light Friday to Chang's adoption petition.

In addition, the judges said, there is no mention in Taiwan's Civil Code of whether a transsexual can become an adoptive parent.

The child's birth mother is currently serving a jail term for drug abuse, while the father has been declared "unknown." The child had been looked after by his grandfather since the mother went to prison.

Chang is the neighbor of the child's grandfather and she developed a special fondness for the child as soon as she saw him. She then asked to take care of the child and the child's grandfather happily agreed.

Chang was thrilled by the judges final approval for the adoption.

"Now I'm the baby's mother and I am going to name him Chang Tah-wen (張大文)," she said shortly after hearing of the court's decision.

She noted that ever since she was a child, she believed herself to be a female in a male's body and had always liked to wear his mother's dresses and play with dolls.

At the age of 24 after completing military conscription, Chang went to Thailand to receive a sex change operation at a cost of NT$240,000.

Since than, she has lived happily, gaining local fame in the drag show business and a better-than-average living.

"A child like this will make my life fuller and more complete," she said.
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