Sex-change father faces call to quit children’s panel
By Auslan Cramb, Scotland Correspondent
A FATHER who had a sex-change operation and changed his name to **** was described yesterday as a valued member of a panel dealing with problem children.
**** *******, 45, has worked as both a male and a female member of a children’s panel, offering advice on young offenders and children with difficult home lives.
Susan Simpson, Miss *******’s former wife, has called for her to be removed from the voluntary post, and has been supported by church leaders and other panel members. But the Scottish Executive said yesterday it was committed to a “just and inclusive society” and an individual’s sexuality was a personal matter. Both the Scottish Executive and Aberdeenshire council said they were not aware of any official complaints about Miss *******, who as Warwick Strange, a hotel manager, was married for nine years and fathered three daughters.
Miss Simpson said she was unaware that her ex-husband was a transsexual until receiving a card signed **** after their separation in 1993. “He couldn’t spend time with his own daughters and had absolutely no concern for their feelings or well-being. Since the sex-change they have no contact with him. That is their decision. Now he’s making important decisions about the welfare of other people’s children. That cannot be right.”
Rev William Wallace, the former convenor of the Church of Scotland’s social responsibility committee, said the Children’s Panel Advisory Committee should consider the issue. He said: “It seems that this person has enough problems of his or her own without advising others.”
One panel member described the situation as “intolerable” and suggested that children could tell there was something “odd” about Miss *******. However, a former panel member said that while she could understand that some families may express concern, she did not object.
A council spokesman said her position was discussed following the sex-change and she was still regarded as “a good and competent panel member”.
The 6ft 2in laundry manageress from Lauriston, Angus, who is not allowed to sit on cases she dealt with as a man, refused to comment.
2 August 1999: Sex-change soldiers can stay in Army
30 July 1999: Transsexuals win right to sex change on NHS
23 March 1999: Transsexual wins WPc job plea
11 October 1996: Transsexual Pc ’would be a fraud’
10 October 1996: Police feared transsexual chaos
9 October 1996: Transsexual turned down for job as woman Pc
| 
