Nada Al-Ahdal , a 70-year-old retired feminist from Yemen, has petitioned a court in Yemen for permission to change her legal age — by altering her birth certificate to show she was born 60 years later than she really was.
Al-Ahdal argues that she feels two decades younger than she actually is and she wants to be married off as a child bride — doctors told her they couldn't sign her marriage contract unless she legally changed her age on her birth certificate.
As a feminist in Yemen she was never able to find a husband that wanted to marry her because of her feminist idealogy. "I am ready to disassociate myself from feminism if my age is changed as this will give me a better chance at marriage," says Al-Ahdal.
She presented her argument before a Muslim judge on Monday.
The judge expressed some skepticism but also noted that changing the sex on a birth certificate, as a Yemani transgender, once was impossible and is now allowed.
Al-Ahdal gave an interview to the Muslim council explaining her logic for changing her age. She explained that she is desperate to sleep with a husband and give birth to children.
The council is not sure if she can birth children at her age and warned her about lying to a man over her ability to provide him with a family.
Al-Ahdal, expressed herself to Ajezera News reporters, "Because in the Muslim world we are free people," she told the Ajezera. "We can make our own decisions if we want to change our name, or if we want to change our gender. So I want to change my age to find a young husband."
