About ten days ago Alexis Houston held a press conference to state that she was not having an affair with 'Today' host Matt Lauer. Just before heading to her birthday party Houston told reporters, "I feel that my privacy and personal space have been invaded."

But a few days later, Houston was in the news again with as investigations into her past led to some surprising findings.

One of Alexis' promotional photos from her website.

According to several reports, Houston was born Wellington Stuart, the son of Wendell Stuart, a popular Bahamian singer.

It was not the singer's first brush with controversy. Whitney Houston sued Alexis in 1996 because he (the sex change came later) was claiming to be her cousin. Whitney alleged that Alexis used the false connection to defraud an elderly New York doctor of $100,000 in credit cards and forged checks.

Gary Haase told the New York Post that "Alexis was born in Nassau, Bahamas. His father, Wendell Stuart, was the most beloved singer the island had ever known. I worked as his music director from 1978 till his untimely death from cancer on Dec. 10, 1987.

"I met Wellington when he was 4. I knew his mom, Marjorie, as well as his sister, Wendy . . . Wellington was nowhere near Newark at age 6 . . . It is a travesty that he would claim to be related to Whitney Houston, when his own father was a giant and loved by his country."

According to the New York Post, a source who has known Alexis for years said the Bahamian had surgery three years ago after a man fell in love with him and paid for the operation. At the time, Alexis was a cross-dressing singer. She later married the man who paid for the operation although the two have separated.

Alexis refused to comment on the story at the time and does not seem to have made a statement on the issue.

Laws relating to transsexualism vary widely around the world, not just in terms of whether the gender change is recognized legally but also concerning the right to marry and benefit from a partner's insurance benefits.

In the United States, such issues are decided by the state, although the federal government has the power to overrule state decisions. Click here to read about how some of the different approaches to the issue from state to state and how American courts have ruled on transsexual issues.

Click here to see Alexis' website and hear some of her music.