Thursday, April 3, 2008

Transgender Man Gets Pregnant

Yes, this picture you are seeing is real. This man is having a baby. He used to be a woman and decided to keep his reproductive organs. Very strange!

Here's the full story from ABC News:

It's a situation that has blurred all gender barriers. A transgender Oregon man is six months pregnant. Thomas Beatie and his belly are making headlines and raising eyebrows. The 34-year-old and his wife Nancy are featured in people magazine and appeared Thursday on Oprah.

Thomas grew up as Tracy, a Miss Hawaii Teen finalist. Ten years ago she underwent a sex change operation and legally became a man, but Beatie kept his reproductive organs and was still able to produce eggs so when his wife couldn't conceive he decided with the help of a sperm donor to have their baby.

Beatie said, "Ironically being pregnant doesn't make me feel any more female or feminine. You know it doesn't make me want to shave my legs or something. I'm a man. I just happen to be a pregnant man." Beatie is now 6 months pregnant and has gained 2 pounds (Only 2 pounds at 6 months? I wonder if that has something to do with the sex change??) and says he has cravings for soybeans and artichokes.


Some of his Oregon neighbor are shaking their heads in disbelief. Ron Schlieper said, "Quite frankly I think it's a hoax." But Beatie offers up his ultra sound as proof and his doctor who says the pregnancy is normal and the baby girl is healthy.

The bigger issue may be psychological. Psychologist Jeffrey Gardere said, “This is a child who may face the onslaught of the public and their opinions as to what a family should be .” Beatie says his own brother has called the baby a monster. He and his wife chose to think of her as their little miracle.

What do you think about this bizarre pregnancy story? If this was your neighbor how would he be treated?

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

5 comments:

Stellewriter said...

Two pwople showing love and dedication? Something all who are mates should embrace.

Something we also could recognize and embrace..Every ten minutes a child is born, 1/2500, in which the doctor cannot determine the sex, or gender. This is not talking about homosexuality, but tragically a congenital condition of birth which can be caused by endocrine agents and chemicals. These children are Intersex; they are born into a life of not male or female. Likewise in similar fashion the Transsexual is identified with a Bioneurological congenital condition, and they too are locked into something not quite so clearly defined as male, or female. The best we can do is live as close to what we seem to believe we are. That may preclude the wants, and often ignorant and bigoted beliefs of others. In what case do we ignore this issue and abandon the children who now cannot hide? How can anyone continue in hate and prejudice so as to deny simple equality and justice? Not an easy thing to resolve, but one that is present and will not go away. I can appreciate social opinion, and the freedom to express same, but I would hope our culture and ethos would be with regard to the children, teens, and emerging adults, and all who are not so fortunate to have been born by someone’s idea of “normal.”

Stellewriter – Conservative Christian, Parent, and Transsexual.

Jen Christensen said...

Stellewriter,
Thanks for your response!

Anonymous said...

Frankly, I find it to be disturbing that Tracy was absoulte about her decision to become a man while still maintaining her female reproductive system. Not only is it suspicious that she had this planned from the beginning (especially since her partner already had children from a previous marriage). But the fact has not passed my comprehension that her female reproductive system would in fact be problematic in maintaing male hormone levels needed to make her a man. I find it to be psychologically disturbing on their behalf. I understand that people may feel they are born the wrong sex, but having the best of both worlds is just plain wrong in my opinion.

Anonymous said...

just came across this and had to comment....no matter what we think it is already happening and it is not our place to judge because is won't change anything.

My worry would be for the child. Since they went public with this the child will constantly be in the spot light like Louise Joy Brown. Being a child, these days,....it's a cruel world.

Anonymous said...

As for me, Thomas Beatie really deserves this baby and the most important is he's really happy having a child.

 
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