Two Emiratis who have had gender reassignment surgery abroad say they will fight for the law to recognise they are men, after their attempt was thrown out by the courts.
"Ali" and "Salem" last year filed cases to have their legal documents changed from female to male, but in March a judge rejected their bid.
They underwent reassignment surgery last year but their passport and ID documents still identify them as women.
"We are not women. We never were," Ali told The National.
Both in their 30s, they had been diagnosed with gender dysphoria – a condition in which a person does not identify with their birth sex. A change in UAE law two years ago paved the way for gender reassignment surgery to be permitted.
Officials have always said the intention was to allow corrective surgery for those born with medical problems such as two reproductive organs. This is in contrast to elective surgery for people who feel they are of the opposite sex.
But Ali, Salem and their lawyer, Ali Al Mansouri, believe the wording of the law is on their side, or ambiguous at best.
The 2016 Medical Liability Law states: “Sex correction operations may be made according to the following controls: the person’s gender is obscure and it is not certain whether he is male or female; or the person has sexual and physical features inconsistent with his/her physiological, biological and genetic characteristics.”
Ali and Salem believe the second section extends to them and they say the law empowered them to make their decision.
“We only did the operation after the law came out,” Ali said.
But they now live in legal limbo. Living in the UAE with women’s documents and dressing as men is breaking the law. They wear abayas and shaylas by day and kanduras or casual clothes by night. They do their best to hide their masculine features and voices.
"Every day is a struggle and while I feel liberated after surgery, the court's decision is like a death sentence," Ali said.
“You don’t know what it’s like to always worry that the police will stop you while driving and ask to see your documents, or that a colleague at work reports you to CID.”
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Read more:
Transgender Emiratis fail in legal bid to have new sexes recognised
New UAE law allows gender reassignment surgery
Lawyers back changes in UAE law to allow gender reassignment surgery
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Despite their concerns the courts made no attempt to pursue any criminal case against them, and they continue to work and live as they do.
Gender reassignment surgery is complex and recovery time takes many months.
For Ali and Salem it involved the removal of their breasts and uterus and development of male organs. One operation took more than 13 hours. They spent a total of more than Dh300,000 on the process.
"No sane person would do such operation if they had even the slightest doubt that they were male or female," Ali said.
"We have no regrets. It was the right decision. I couldn't go on living with myself if I hadn't done it. I wouldn't be alive today if my body had remained female."
The pair go to extensive lengths to look like women in public, but the hormones they have to take after surgery have further changed their features and deepened their voices.
“We shave our beards every day and I try to soften my voice, but it is very hard,” Salem said. “I’m always stopped at the airport and few people believe that I am the same person that my documents claim that I am.
“When I took them to court, the judge couldn’t believe that they were the same women mentioned in the court documents,” Mr Al Mansouri said. “‘These are men’, he told me.”
Ali said: “We have lived a life of struggle, first by being forced to be female when we are male, and now by having to pretend to be female when we are finally fully male.”
Friends and doctors have advised the two to consider living abroad, in countries where legally and socially they would be more easily accepted.
“The UAE is home. It is my country. I’ll never leave,” Ali said. “Several people have advised me to live in Europe or the US, and have told us that the UAE will never accept us, but I refuse to believe that.
“If they only knew how much we have suffered then they will understand, I am sure.”
The two said that they would continue to file cases until a court ruled in their favour.
"We will never give up," said Ali. "I believe that there is hope. I believe in humanity and I believe in the kindness of people. My country is one of the most tolerant in the world. They will accept us. We didn't commit a crime."
Ali had his procedure done in the US, while Salem went to Europe. They went armed with more than a dozen medical reports from hospitals such as Sheikh Khalifa Medical City and the American Centre for Psychiatry and Neurology.
The medical report from Sheikh Khalifa Medical City noted the need for immediate treatment of hormone therapy and surgery because any delay “will increase [Salem’s] suffering of an incompatible outer appearance, which will cause severe psychological damage”.
Dr Amin Al Amiri , assistant undersecretary at the Ministry of Health and Prevention, last year said: "We want to clarify the difference between the terms 'sex change' and 'sex correction surgery', as sex change surgery remains illegal in the UAE."
Ali is already recognised as a man in Florida, where he had his surgery. In an attested and certified affidavit, his surgeon wrote: “I performed and completed sexual reassignment surgery on Ali.
“From a medical perspective, Ali is now male and the gender marker on all of Ali’s identity documents should now be changed to acknowledge this medical fact.”
The Ministry of Health said that it oversaw only procedures carried out by doctors in the UAE, and that sex-change operations would never be permitted here unless it was to correct a medical defect.
"So if the person has undergone a sex change operation outside the country, this would be under his or her own responsibility. And they have to assume responsibility for the consequences of this act, such as identity changes and the other official documents."
More coverage from the Future Forum
57%20Seconds
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Venom
Director: Ruben Fleischer
Cast: Tom Hardy, Michelle Williams, Riz Ahmed
Rating: 1.5/5
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
THE%20SWIMMERS
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What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Women’s World T20, Asia Qualifier, in Bangkok
UAE fixtures Mon Nov 20, v China; Tue Nov 21, v Thailand; Thu Nov 23, v Nepal; Fri Nov 24, v Hong Kong; Sun Nov 26, v Malaysia; Mon Nov 27, Final
(The winners will progress to the Global Qualifier)
FULL%20FIGHT%20CARD
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Director: Shady Ali
Cast: Boumi Fouad , Mohamed Tharout and Hisham Ismael
Rating: 3/5
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre, six-cylinder
Transmission: six-speed manual
Power: 395bhp
Torque: 420Nm
Price: from Dh321,200
On sale: now
Vidaamuyarchi
Director: Magizh Thirumeni
Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra
Rating: 4/5
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Batti Gul Meter Chalu
Producers: KRTI Productions, T-Series
Director: Sree Narayan Singh
Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor, Divyenndu Sharma, Yami Gautam
Rating: 2/5
Brief scoreline
Switzerland 0
England 0
Result: England win 6-5 on penalties
Man of the Match: Trent Alexander-Arnold (England)
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
hall of shame
SUNDERLAND 2002-03
No one has ended a Premier League season quite like Sunderland. They lost each of their final 15 games, taking no points after January. They ended up with 19 in total, sacking managers Peter Reid and Howard Wilkinson and losing 3-1 to Charlton when they scored three own goals in eight minutes.
SUNDERLAND 2005-06
Until Derby came along, Sunderland’s total of 15 points was the Premier League’s record low. They made it until May and their final home game before winning at the Stadium of Light while they lost a joint record 29 of their 38 league games.
HUDDERSFIELD 2018-19
Joined Derby as the only team to be relegated in March. No striker scored until January, while only two players got more assists than goalkeeper Jonas Lossl. The mid-season appointment Jan Siewert was to end his time as Huddersfield manager with a 5.3 per cent win rate.
ASTON VILLA 2015-16
Perhaps the most inexplicably bad season, considering they signed Idrissa Gueye and Adama Traore and still only got 17 points. Villa won their first league game, but none of the next 19. They ended an abominable campaign by taking one point from the last 39 available.
FULHAM 2018-19
Terrible in different ways. Fulham’s total of 26 points is not among the lowest ever but they contrived to get relegated after spending over £100 million (Dh457m) in the transfer market. Much of it went on defenders but they only kept two clean sheets in their first 33 games.
LA LIGA: Sporting Gijon, 13 points in 1997-98.
BUNDESLIGA: Tasmania Berlin, 10 points in 1965-66
Results
4.30pm Jebel Jais – Maiden (PA) Dh60,000 (Turf) 1,000m; Winner: MM Al Balqaa, Bernardo Pinheiro (jockey), Qaiss Aboud (trainer)
5pm: Jabel Faya – Maiden (PA) Dh60,000 (T) 1,000m; Winner: AF Rasam, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
5.30pm: Al Wathba Stallions Cup – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: AF Mukhrej, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6pm: The President’s Cup Prep – Conditions (PA) Dh100,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: Mujeeb, Richard Mullen, Salem Al Ketbi
6.30pm: Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club – Prestige (PA) Dh125,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Jawal Al Reef, Antonio Fresu, Abubakar Daud
7pm: Al Ruwais – Group 3 (PA) Dh300,000 (T) 1,200m; Winner: Ashton Tourettes, Pat Dobbs, Ibrahim Aseel
7.30pm: Jebel Hafeet – Maiden (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 1,400m; Winner: Nibraas, Richard Mullen, Nicholas Bachalard
MATCH INFO
Austria 2
Hinteregger (53'), Schopf (69')
Germany 1
Ozil (11')
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
SERIE A FIXTURES
Saturday (UAE kick-off times)
Atalanta v Juventus (6pm)
AC Milan v Napoli (9pm)
Torino v Inter Milan (11.45pm)
Sunday
Bologna v Parma (3.30pm)
Sassuolo v Lazio (6pm)
Roma v Brescia (6pm)
Verona v Fiorentina (6pm)
Sampdoria v Udinese (9pm)
Lecce v Cagliari (11.45pm)
Monday
SPAL v Genoa (11.45pm)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
BABYLON
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The details
Heard It in a Past Life
Maggie Rogers
(Capital Records)
3/5
THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.
The%20specs%3A%202024%20Mercedes%20E200
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War
Director: Siddharth Anand
Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Tiger Shroff, Ashutosh Rana, Vaani Kapoor
Rating: Two out of five stars
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
ASIAN%20RUGBY%20CHAMPIONSHIP%202024
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Semi-final fixtures
Portugal v Chile, 7pm, today
Germany v Mexico, 7pm, tomorrow