Woman sues transsexual son-in-law over visitation rights

By Euro Weekly News Media • Published: 30 Jan 2012 • 11:39

A 79-YEAR-OLD grandmother is taking her transsexual son-in-law to court for allegedly not allowing her to see her granddaughters.

As a Valladolid court, in north-central Spain, examined reports from psychologists and social workers behind closed doors, the father of the two girls aged 11 and 12 spoke to reporters.

His daughters, whose mother is dead, did not want to see their grandmother, claimed Dutch-born 51-year-old MVDM.

In the past she had habitually let herself into the marital home without permission, he claimed, and was the main reason for the couple’s divorce. The two girls “had the last word,” the father insisted, who said he had to ask himself whether they should be forced to see their grandmother.

If she had not forced matters by denouncing him, they could probably have reached some kind of agreement, he admitted. “I know my duty, and I do it,” MVDM said.

He was bringing up his daughters the right way and was happy about the monthly two-hour visits that were recommended by the psychologists and social workers and also approved by the Public Prosecutor.

“I used to ring but he would hang up because he knew it was me,” objected the grandmother. Going to court was the only way she could get to see the girls, she said, as she believed MVDM had turned them against her.

His client’s sexual identity had nothing to do with the case, claimed MVDM’s lawyer, who pointed out that the case would have gone unnoticed “if he had been a Buddhist or supported Real Valladolid.”

The grandmother’s lawyer challenged the suggestion that the girls should initially see her for two hours on the first Sunday of the month for three months, after which the case would be reviewed.

His client instead wanted the girls to visit her on alternative weekends from Friday afternoon until Sunday evening. She also hoped to have them during half their Christmas and Easter holidays as well as in the summer.

Meanwhile, the judge is still examining the reports before deciding when and how often the girls – willing or unwillingly – should see their grandmother.