A SUBURBAN councillor who was the world's first intersex mayor has requested not to be called he or she by colleagues.

City of Hobson Bay's Cr Tony Briffa has posed a dilemma for fellow councillors, who could fall foul of anti-discrimination laws if they use gender-specific pronouns when addressing the councillor.

Cr Briffa, who was mayor for two years until elections in October, was born with male and female attributes but was raised as a girl called Antoinette.

Cr Briffa later took male hormones and started identifying as a man, but says on a personal website, "I still don't feel male", and reveals a fight for the right to marry his fiancee.

The Herald Sun understands that Cr Briffa has sent a note asking councillors to abide by equal opportunity laws and the state's human rights charter "by not addressing me using female or male pronouns and salutations".

In a statement yesterday, Cr Briffa said: "I am very public about being born biologically partially female and partially male and that I was raised as a girl and lived as a woman until I was 30.

"I ask all my friends and colleagues to respect my sex as what nature made me; both female and male."

Hobson's Bay Mayor Cr Angela Altair said the council would "endeavour to afford every courtesy and respect for Cr Briffa's wishes in all communications".

Originally published as Council dilemma over a gender