A HONG Kong court ruled yesterday against allowing a marriage between a transsexual female and a man in a case that has tested social tolerance in the Chinese city.

In the verdict, the judge said a person had to have been a woman at birth to marry a man, but said also the ruling shouldn't be the decision of the courts alone.

The individual, referred to as W in court, was born male and underwent sex change. While W's gender was reclassified on her Hong Kong identity card, her birth certificate wasn't and still describes W as a man.

Speaking after the ruling, W's lawyer said she'd appeal. "She is determined to be treated as a woman and accorded the same rights as a woman," said Michael Vidler to reporters.

Government figures show that 12 people changed the gender classification on their identity cards in the island city last year.

"She still cherishes the hope that she'll be able to marry her boyfriend. Maybe not today but in the near future and not after 10 years of consultations, government procrastination or inactivity," Vidler added.

"I am in love with him. Marriage is something to guarantee a relationship between a man and a woman," W told Cable Television in a telephone interview. "This is a woman's right and I am a woman ... I feel the government is discriminating against us a little."

• yesterday [´jestədi] n.&ad.昨天；前不久 (初中英语单词)
• female [´fi:meil] a.女(性)的 n.女人 (初中英语单词)
• lawyer [´lɔ:jə] n.律师；法学家 (初中英语单词)
• interview [´intəvju:] n.&vt.接见；会见；交谈 (初中英语单词)
• certificate [sə´tifikət] n.执照；文凭 vt.批准 (高中英语单词)
• appeal [ə´pi:l] vi.&n.请求；呼吁；上诉 (高中英语单词)
• classification [,klæsifi´keiʃən] n.分类(法)；等级 (高中英语单词)
• guarantee [,gærən´ti:] n.保证；担保 vt.允诺 (高中英语单词)
• relationship [ri´leiʃənʃip] n.关系；联系；亲属关系 (高中英语单词)
• verdict [´və:dikt] n.裁决，判决；判定 (英语四级单词)
• identity [ai´dentiti] n.身份；同一性；一致 (英语六级单词)
• speaking [´spi:kiŋ] n.说话 a.发言的 (英语六级单词)