Stefanie Imbruglia, the transsexual first cousin of well known Australian Pop Artist, Natalie Imbruglia [top picture] has told The Sun-Herald recently that she is to go head to head with the government.

Stefanie intends to travel to Thailand, in October to have the final surgery that will make her sex-change complete, but due to recent legislation enacted by the Government she is prevented from listing her intended sex on her passport.

As a result she will have to travel with a passport stating that she is a man or with a document of identity leaving her genderless.

Stephanie stated that travelling with a male passport could leave her “psychologically damaged” and the document of identity offered for travel would leave her open to strip searches and harassment, as stated in a letter she received from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Stephanie is set to spend about $20,000 on her gender re-assignment surgery and after living as Stefanie Imbruglia for two years now she finds this recent move by the government “completely outrageous”.

“I may fly out to Thailand with a penis, but I’m going to come back as a total woman with a vagina, so how am I going to get through immigration on a male passport?”

Whilst Stefanie’s cousin Natalie has been “very supportive” about her gender change it is sad to see that others aren’t so open minded.

Bottom picture – from Sydney Morning Herald.