To his neighbors, Thomas Beatie and his wife Nancy are just another young happy couple living in a quiet Oregon neighborhood. But Thomas is no ordinary man: he is transgender and now ... he is pregnant!
Ten years ago, when Nancy and I became a couple, the idea of us
having a child was more dream than plan. I always wanted to have children. However, due to severe endometriosis 20 years ago, Nancy had to undergo a hysterectomy and is unable to carry a child. But after the success of our custom screen-printing business and a move from Hawaii to the Pacific Northwest two years ago, the timing finally seemed right. I stopped taking my bimonthly testosterone injections. It had been roughly eight years since I had my last menstrual cycle, so this wasn’t a decision that I took lightly. My body regulated itself after about four months, and I didn’t have to take any exogenous estrogen, progesterone, or fertility drugs to aid my pregnancy.
Naturally, some people are shocked:
Our situation sparks legal, political, and social unknowns. We have only begun experiencing opposition from people who are upset by our situation. Doctors have discriminated against us, turning us away due to their religious beliefs. Health care professionals have refused to call me by a male pronoun or recognize Nancy as my wife. Receptionists have laughed at us. Friends and family have been unsupportive; most of Nancy’s family doesn’t even know I’m transgender.
Link - via Boing Boing
For one thing, they're both female, genetically speaking. The article said nothing of a male donor of sperm. Nor did they explain how a female who had undergone a sex change managed to have an embryo implanted in her uterus, via the plumbing of her brand new penis. Did they use a very long cuetip and lots of KY?
Time to snap out of it.
It's painful and amusing to see so many people reject something they dislike or do not understand.
My opinion stays the same: It's wonderful that they can have a child. He will still be born into a "straight" family. He will have both a daddy and a mommy; the only thing different is that daddy was the one to carry the fetus. It's not so odd, in the animal kingdom, a lot of daddies are the one to care for their newborn children, which switches the gender roles so many humans are conditioned to think is right.
a number of transgender men never complete a bottom surgery (no fake penis). Why? because current bottom surgeries are really ineffective and aesthetically poor.
the number of commentators rejecting this without thought is fascinating. does it frighten you that much?
if you actually read the article, you'll find that they went to cryogenic sperm bank and got an anonymous donation, and then did a home insemination.
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But if true, anyone who thinks this person is a man is kidding themselves. You can belittle those of us who see it otherwise as "small-minded," but it's still ridiculous. Ignoring any moral judgements, there is no logical way someone could conclude that this person is male.
At least there are still some people with a little sanity about these kinds of things.
I wonder if the mother (his wife) will take prolactin and be able to breastfeed? It would make more sense, since the father's already had chest surgery to remove his breasts.
It's great to see that a loving, stable couple is bringing a child into this world that will be loved and cared for.
someguy: You are an ignorant twit. "No logical way"? What is that based on? Gender identity is a complex issue that your tiny mind clearly cannot comprehend. Not everyone is lucky enough to be born with a gender that matches their sex.
Your definition of sanity is apparently bigotry, prejudice and ignorance.
And how awesome it it that one parent will get to carry the pregnancy and the other will get to nurse the baby????
he's transgender. sorry
It is very frustrating that you posted this:
"The article said nothing of a male donor of sperm. Nor did they explain how a female who had undergone a sex change managed to have an embryo implanted in her uterus, via the plumbing of her brand new penis."
You specifically referenced the article, yet clearly did not actually read the article. All those points were, in fact, addressed.
And, yes, they are, genetically speaking, both female. A fact they are clearly aware of. Hence the frequent references to "transgender" and "transman."
;)
http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0025,califia-rice,15833,1.html has a pretty good essay by Patrick about it.
It's happened a lot more than that, but usually it's a private affair.
Upon further review, it appears that some of the facts agree with the story. You must cease taking testosterone in order to ovulate again and become pregnant. So it is possible. This woman, masquerading as a man, is now pregnant. Is she officially "transgender"? I would say she has betrayed her ideals for the chance to bear a child.
What about all the beautiful kids already in the world needing parents? Selfish, selfish, selfish pseudo-trannie.
It's interesting how people will pick and choose which mental disorders need to be treated and which need to be indulged. When a female thinks she is male, they say we should make her look like a male. Same deal with homosexuality.
However, when people have something like schizophrenia we need to treat it. How can you say that someone with split personalities wasn't supposed to be born with 2 bodies? Maybe we should graft another head on to them.
I was talking about this story with a friend. He told me he could accept gays, but he couldn't understand transsexuality. Why is it that big of an issue? So there are people in existence whose gender doesn't match their sex? Does that threaten people's conceptions of the world so much that they must reject it as immoral?
I'm very happy for Mr. and Mrs. Beatie (oh goodness, though his name reminds me of the chief fire fighter in Fahrenheit 451), and I wish them the best. I hope that their story opens eyes inside and outside of the LGBT community.
However, when people have something like schizophrenia we need to treat it. "
If a woman does not feel comfortable with her body because it doesn't fit with society's ideas of what her body should look like and she wishes to inflate her breasts to 3 times the size nature intended, that's okay. We "indulge" her.
If she does not feel comfortable with her body because it doesn't fit with her own brain's ideas of what her body should look like and she wishes to remove her breasts she is sick and needs treatment.
Why do we have to make people feel wrong if they aren't exactly the way we say they should be?
Watch all of Amanda Baggs' videos on YouTube and you may learn something about diversity and acceptance.
http://www.youtube.com/user/silentmiaow
Of course, you have to want to learn.
I am not exactly sure what your point is. This woman is free to do whatever she wishes with her body. But she cannot become male by changing the way she looks and taking hormones. That is the truth that is not generally acknowledged. It wouldn't be the first time that a significant portion of the medical/scientific community is wrong.
If the person playing the man's role were truly serious about living life as a man, then she would not be pregnant. Otherwise, she's being hypocritical in her desire to play the man's role in the family. You can strap a dildo on her, but she's still a woman who wants to have her cake and eat it, too.
Bottom line, you might not like it, but you dont have to- it's not your life.
Chances are 50% of transgender people- you wouldn't even know they were born a different gender, without them outing themselves or giving them a physical.
To me, being transgendered means living as the opposite gender and passing as that gender in public. I am sure this man must get odd looks now that he decided to go through with this.
He had the sex change surgery in the first place in order to function as a male, and yet he births a child? Wow...ok. I am all for being who you truly are inside, but not being a freak.
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/popup?id=2024851&contentIndex=1&page=49&start=false
but for real this is really a woman so its not that impressive... all that it proves is that whatever freak pills she has been taking to become so manly have not devastated her reproductive system!...