A transgendered man who recently revealed that he is six months pregnant has the world talking.
Thomas Beattie, 34, recently announced that he is six months pregnant. How is this possible?
How Tracy became Thomas
Thomas Beattie was born female. Growing up in Hawaii as Tracy Lagondino, he was a Girl Scout, worked as a fashion model, and was even a finalist in the Miss Hawaii Teen USA beauty patent.
Thomas said that he never felt comfortable in these roles, and that he often chose to dress as a boy as young teen. For most of his life, Thomas (Tracy) felt that he was truly male.
In his early 20s, Thomas began taking testosterone, which enabled him to grow facial hair. Later, Thomas had his breasts surgically removed. He then had his identity legally changed, including his name and gender.
The only remaining reminder of Thomas’ former identity? He elected to keep his reproductive organs, including his uterus and ovaries.
Choosing to Conceive
Thomas and his longtime girlfriend, Nancy, lived as a lesbian couple until 2003, when Thomas legally became a man. Why did Thomas choose to carry a baby, despite the fact that he had made the decision to live his life as a man? When endometriosis made it necessary for Nancy to have a hysterectomy, Thomas and Nancy made the decision to have Thomas inseminated with donor sperm.
They knew that their decision would be controversial, but they found it difficult to justify electing to carry their baby through a surrogate when Thomas was physically capable of carrying the baby that they both wanted so badly. Thomas stopped taking testosterone in order to conceive, and happily, the unborn baby—a girl—appears to be healthy and normal.
Reactions to the Pregnancy
When Thomas and Nancy chose to have their baby, they knew that they would have to face questions from the public. Although the world is no longer naïve to the presence of transgendered people, many are confused by the decision for a transgendered man to carry a child.
Many people believe that children need a mother and a father. Not surprisingly, the couple's decision has been met with opposition. Thomas’ brother called the baby an “abomination,” and many of the nurses in the hospital where Thomas is treated refuse to refer to him as “he.” Insurance companies even threatened not to cover the pregnancy, which is illegal since Thomas is legally a man.
Focusing on the Future
Thomas and Nancy understand that people’s confusion is often manifested through anger, but they choose instead to focus on their own life and the future of their child. They live a quiet life together in Oregon where they’re co-owners of a t-shirt company, Define Normal. They joyfully embrace parenthood, and see this pregnancy as an opportunity to educate people that love comes in many different forms.
In the words of Dr. Seuss, "Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind."
