A Legal Wedding by Graeme

[Graeme]

A Legal Wedding by Graeme

 

When you need a loophole to do something, having a lawyer as a best friend certainly helps.

 

 

:nuke: :nuke: Spoilers Below!!! :nuke: :nuke:

[kitten]

This was a most amusing story, written with the skillful light touch that I would recognise as 'typical of Graeme'. For some reason, as I was reading it, I imagined that it might easily be adapted as an episode of 'The Vicar of Dibley'.

 

Just to show off my detective abilities (years of watching Poirot!)...

 

I guessed the loophole as soon as I saw the medical reference to Monash & medications.

 

 

Thanks for the gentle fun, Graeme!

 

Kit

[Nephylim]

Now that WAS a suprise . This was a truly beautiful story. I have to admit that I was concerned when I read about Michael's 'medical problems'... yes I cared about him enough by that stage to worry... and it was a blessed relief to find out what they were. Oh... it was so... so... delightful.

[Dolores Esteban]

I saw the end coming. But I very much enjoyed this story. A serious topic told in a very nice and enjoyable way. The story left me with a good feeling and the thought: Yes, it is all right

 

 

[Kanaye]

Very nice. I too, was worried about Michael's medical problems but, the ending made sense of it. Bravo!

[Graeme]

Thanks, everyone!

 

I was much more heavy handed with the clues in my early drafts, but I'm happy that I managed to surprise at least some of the readers

Edited September 15, 2009 by Graeme

[C James]

This is one of my favorites of Graeme's short stories.

 

Graeme has a unique gift; he always gives us unexpected twists. This story did that, and much more. One thing it IMHO did; it highlighted the absurdity of current marriage laws.

 

Thank you, Graeme, for a very entertaining story, one that is thought-provoking on many levels.

 

CJ

[jfalkon]

I liked this story too. I love the part where the poor father asks about the "medical condition."

[Graeme]

Graeme has a unique gift; he always gives us unexpected twists. This story did that, and much more. One thing it IMHO did; it highlighted the absurdity of current marriage laws.

The subject has been in the media from time to time, including quite recently (after I wrote the first draft). I read an article in the New York Times about marriages where one partner had gone through gender re-alignment surgery, though most involved male-to-female sex changes.

 

However, on the subject of marriage laws, we had a case in Australia where a judge refused an application to have the sex of the person changed in the records at the Bureau of Births, Deaths and Marriages. Normally, these applications are routinely approved, but this one was rejected because the person was married. Since a sex change would result in a same-sex marriage, and that is currently illegal in Australia, the judge had to refuse the requested change, and hence the person was not able to get a new passport reflecting their new gender.

[Nephylim]

The subject has been in the media from time to time, including quite recently (after I wrote the first draft). I read an article in the New York Times about marriages where one partner had gone through gender re-alignment surgery, though most involved male-to-female sex changes.

 

However, on the subject of marriage laws, we had a case in Australia where a judge refused an application to have the sex of the person changed in the records at the Bureau of Births, Deaths and Marriages. Normally, these applications are routinely approved, but this one was rejected because the person was married. Since a sex change would result in a same-sex marriage, and that is currently illegal in Australia, the judge had to refuse the requested change, and hence the person was not able to get a new passport reflecting their new gender.

 

 

The Gender Recognition Act which was enacter here a few years agoautomatically annulls any marriage the person was in. Not sure about civil partnership, I don't suppose that would need to be annulled as it can apply to same or mixed sex partners

[Ieshwar]

Coincidentally, I was thinking about the same stuff (not exactly the same though) a few weeks ago. Someone mentioned it in the forums and it was kinda stuck in my head. And now, I got to see it in the form of a story. Nice one. You really kept the suspense till the end.

 

Take care,

Ieshwar

[Tiff]

I love surprise endings and a huge twist. I really wasn't expecting the ending at all! I didn't suspect anything with the paragraph about Michael's medical condition, but just assumed he was ill and didn't question it much further. I didn't think it was extremely serious because his partner, John (?) was very casual and light-hearted about it.

 

Then at the end it all makes sense and it made me laugh in a good way. So does this mean that Father Richards won't get into any trouble at the trial? I mean, technically Michael was born a woman and even if she had surgery or took hormones or whatnot. Loopholes, technicalities, they can't be argued with right?

 

This was a heartwarming story for sure. That's what I like about your writing. It's never too dark or in your face, but there's a subtle story telling style. Almost soothing in a way, in the sense that it captures your attention without realizing it, because before you know it, you've read the entire thing!

 

Thanks for the enjoyable read, Graeme.

[Graeme]

Coincidentally, I was thinking about the same stuff (not exactly the same though) a few weeks ago. Someone mentioned it in the forums and it was kinda stuck in my head. And now, I got to see it in the form of a story. Nice one. You really kept the suspense till the end.

Thanks, Ieshwar! Further to the coincidences, just before the anthology was released, someone asked me in one of the forums here what my opinion was on gender re-alignment surgery. I had to be very careful with my reply, even though I would have loved to have said to just wait for the anthology to be released

 

I love surprise endings and a huge twist. I really wasn't expecting the ending at all! I didn't suspect anything with the paragraph about Michael's medical condition, but just assumed he was ill and didn't question it much further. I didn't think it was extremely serious because his partner, John (?) was very casual and light-hearted about it.

 

Then at the end it all makes sense and it made me laugh in a good way. So does this mean that Father Richards won't get into any trouble at the trial? I mean, technically Michael was born a woman and even if she had surgery or took hormones or whatnot. Loopholes, technicalities, they can't be argued with right?

 

This was a heartwarming story for sure. That's what I like about your writing. It's never too dark or in your face, but there's a subtle story telling style. Almost soothing in a way, in the sense that it captures your attention without realizing it, because before you know it, you've read the entire thing!

 

Thanks for the enjoyable read, Graeme.

Thanks, Tiff!

 

I sent a copy of the story to someone who is more knowledgeable on sex changes than I am, and they mentioned that some churches don't recognise sex changes, and so would always consider Michael to be female. I don't know if the Anglican church in Australia is one of those, but regardless, at the time of the wedding, Michael was still legally female. As Father Richards said in the story, there were still the theological aspects to be considered and he took 24 hours to consider those matters before he agreed to the wedding. The fact that the two guys were looking at becoming foster parents probably weighed heavily in their favour in that respect -- they were going to start a family and Father Richards would have taken that into account when considering their request. However, I'm not a theologian so I left that part of the story vague

[Phantom]

What a twist! Good job Graeme I really loved the story and the message that it portrays

 

 

Now if you'll excuse me.... i'm off to go search for loopholes of my own

[Tiger]

That was definitely an interesting story. It was obvious that Michael and Scott were made for each other. I had no idea what the loophole was, and it was interesting, and certainly unexpected, what it turned out to be. Good story, Graeme!

[Tiff]

I sent a copy of the story to someone who is more knowledgeable on sex changes than I am, and they mentioned that some churches don't recognise sex changes, and so would always consider Michael to be female. I don't know if the Anglican church in Australia is one of those, but regardless, at the time of the wedding, Michael was still legally female. As Father Richards said in the story, there were still the theological aspects to be considered and he took 24 hours to consider those matters before he agreed to the wedding. The fact that the two guys were looking at becoming foster parents probably weighed heavily in their favour in that respect -- they were going to start a family and Father Richards would have taken that into account when considering their request. However, I'm not a theologian so I left that part of the story vague

Oh, ok, that does clear up some stuff then. At the time of the wedding, if Michael was still legally a female, and Father Richards has the papers/documents, he can fully support and defend himself. Even when he was asked and he said he had to take a day to think about it, I had a good feeling about it. And...I guess there wouldn't be much of a story and the plot twist right? Considering Father Richards was there for him when it all started. It just seemed right. Which is why I didn't want anything to happen to him, lol. The story has ended and I'm thinking beyond it already.

 

Nonetheless, this was a perfect loophole type of story. I do love loopholes, for sure.

[Nephylim]

As a lawyer I have to say that I concurr with the love of loopholes. In the UK, even after the surgery Michael would still have been legally a woman... because that is what it said on the birth certificate. The only way he could get legal recognition as a man would be to apply under the Gender Recognition Act which would automatically dissolve any marriage... which kind of sucks but... there you go. Life is all about compromise. At least they got the wedding.