Sunday, March 22, 1992

SUNDAY NEWS

SNEED

Michael Sneed

Bench press . . .

Gavel grist: A bizarre custody battle is unfolding before Circuit Judge Susan Snow between a 44-year-old computer software

designer and a 31-year-old Chicago schoolteacher.

The kicker: Both parents are women!

The story: Last July, the father of the two young children underwent sex change surgery in Belgium. The mother's attorney, . . charges in the divorce suit that the father, because of his sex change, is no longer fit to share custody of the children. The father maintains that a sex change has no bearing on his parenting abilities. Both are seeking sole custody.

The saga: Paul Feinstein, attorney for the father, admitted that the sex change operation has caused some confusion for the two children - but added, We would not deny a parent custody if they were seriously disfigured in an accident. What is important is not how a person looks, but their qualities as a parent.