The parents of an adult trans woman tried to stop her gender-confirmation surgery with a desperate legal ploy, claiming she was mentally unfit to make decisions about her health.

Last week a judge ruled that Christine Kitzler, 48, was capable of making medical decisions for herself, and had undergone extensive counseling before deciding to transition. He approved the surgery immediately on Tuesday.

Kitzler's parents claimed she suffered from a childhood learning disability and bouts of depression, and requested temporary guardianship.

Calling the procedure "barbaric," Klaus Kitzler said the court "should be ashamed of themselves."

Klaus requested a psychological evaluation on his child, claiming she didn't appreciate the complications she could face, especially from her having HIV and Hepatitis C.

Christine, who resides in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, responded, "I would rather die than live the way I was and return to my bad addictions, like alcohol, because I can't do it. And I won't do it."

Klaus repeatedly used male pronouns in referring to his daughter. When asked by the judge to use female terminology, he referred to her as "that person," and insisted he would "never" call his child Christine.

"I accept it," he said of her decision to live as a woman, "but I want to stop it. I would love to have a son back who goes to church with us on Sunday mornings."

Christine's lawyer, Angela Giampolo, said she had never seen competency called into question in regards to gender confirmation surgery.

"This isn't a competency hearing. This isn't a guardianship hearing," said Giampolo. "It's a difference of opinion."