Man faces stiff opposition to 'penis signature'

An Australian man has fought with government agencies for more than five years to have his “penis signature” recognized.

Jared Hyams, 33, from Melbourne, first used a penis signature on his registration form for the Australian Electoral Commission as a joke.

“When I did this signature, all of a sudden I was receiving letters and phone calls telling me I couldn’t have it,” he said. “I thought that’s interesting, why not?”

He then decided to get his signature officially recognized, applying for other identification cards with it.

He managed to have his penis signature on his driving license, health card, bank account, and library and student cards.

But he failed to get a passport with the signature because the Department of Trade and Foreign Affairs rejected it.

The department said the image could be seen as sexual harassment of staff.

The Department of Justice also denied his application for a Working with Children check with the signature.

But Hyams says he will keep fighting to have his signature recognized by federal government departments.