What is a Transgendered Wedding ?

A transgendered wedding is a public ceremony, whereby a couple declares their love for each other and willingness to share the remainder of their lives together. However, at least one of the couple is transgendered and this can make this ceremony appear to be or not appear to be a wedding when it may be or not. Confused ? Well this article's intention is to clearly explain and dispell this confusion.

The source of this confusion is due to the interchangability of sex and gender, the fact that only a couple whose sex are not similar can legally declare their ceremony a wedding, as the purpose of a wedding is generally accepted to "join a man and a woman for the opportunity of procreation." Since this can not occur with same sex Unions, Society deems this unacceptable legally and morally, so therefore are reluctant to bless these ceremonies with the titles Wedding or Marriage.

Since this article is written for the intention of publication on the Transgendered Bride webiste, we will concentrate on the Transgendered Bride.

The only common link that all transgendered brides have between them is that they are non-genetic females, and like their genetic counterparts regard gliding down the aisle to exchange vows to their beloved partner, as one of the most important and treasured day of their life. Why should only women who were born as girls only be allowed to enjoy being a bride ? Being a woman means more than being born as one. Another similarity with conventional weddings is that a transgendered wedding is expensive. After all, the wedding venue, reception, etc still has to be booked and paid for. So a TG Wedding is only for the seriously committed. (Although some say the couple should be committed!) The Religious Authorities also look for committment between the TG couple and will insist that they have lived together for six months or have courted for a year prior to them performing a Holy Union Ceremony.

However, Transgender is in its self a very broad term covering Transvestites, Crossdressers (which in this article is interchangable) and Transsexuals (where the person will be, is, or has undergone sex reassignment.) . We will look at these seperately.

The Transvestite Bride, if well made up looks like a beautiful bride, is legally a male, so if 'her' partner is legally female, will be taking part in a legal wedding ceremony, despite it looking like a Lesbian Wedding. However if the TV Bride's partner is male, then the ceremony will look legal as it will appear conventional but it isn't.

The Transsexual Bride, has been made incapable of siring a child, but given the most obvious assets of womanhood by the sex conversion process. As a consequence the Transesexual Bride unlike the Transvestite Bride can not revert back to the male status and therfore should be regarded as female. So if her partner is legally female, it would be in reality a lesbian Committment Ceremony, otherwise it would be a conventional wedding. Unfortunately some Authorities can still not come to terms of people changing genders, and conservatively ignore the issue, thereby declaring the Transsexual Bride still being male. Although that the TS Bride can clearly not live in (or desire to) the male role and can easily live (and perform) as a female bar one function, that of childbirth.

Fortunately, as the 20th Century gradually fades into history, the attitudes of convention is also fading being replaced with the more sympathetic feelings of the 21st Century. After all these Transgendered Couples only want to celebrate the love for each other like any other couple. Eventually the conservative Authorities will have to amend their views as the people who make up those bodies will influence those bodies.