A FYLDE sex change patient has launched a battle to stay married under new government laws which could force her to divorce.

Under the new Draft Gender Recognition Bill, Blackpool hotelier, Gina Large, 56, would have to divorce her wife of 13 years, Joan, in exchange for legal recognition as a woman.

The bill -- which is currently being discussed by the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights -- also fails to extend anti-discrimination laws for any person going through gender reassignment.

She said: "The bill is essentially a positive thing, but there are glitches which I feel need addressing before it can be put into place.

"As it stands there is little or no protection for transgenders against discrimination.

"And it's a disgrace that a perfectly happy marriage needs to be dissolved just to satisfy absurd gender recognition criteria.

"I don't want to get divorced, my partner and I are perfectly happy to stay together and I'm determined to have this recognised by the bill."

Formerly known as successful solicitor and father-of-three -- Graham Large -- Gina has lived as a woman since 2001.

She has recently written to dozens of government ministers, party leaders and MPs expressing her concerns and urging for changes to be made to the draft.

So far she has had various replies including acknowledgements from Iain Duncan Smith, Tony Blair and letters from local MPs Hilton Dawson, Michael Jack and Joan Humble, Euro-MP Michael Cashman and even the Liberal Democrat leader, Charles Kennedy.

In six weeks, Gina will undergo complicated five hour Sex Reassignment Surgery at a private clinic in Leicester.

Doctors have assured her that, if successful, the results of the operation are so effective that only a thorough examination by a medical expert will be able to reveal her original sex.

She said: "At the moment, all I have is a redundant bit attached to my body. I know that I won't miss my birth sex once it has been changed.

"Being a woman is completely natural to me and once my body is changed to reflect this I'm sure I will be at peace with myself.

"Hopefully this will be the beginning of the rest of my life."