34 year old Thomas Beatie from Oregon says he is five months pregnant with an estimated due date on July 3rd, 2008. Beatie, who is legally a man but used to be a woman, chose to keep his reproductive female organs when he went through reconstructive surgery.

Beatie tells Advocate magazine:

"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.

"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.

"This whole process, from trying to get pregnant to being pregnant, has been a challenge for us. The first doctor we approached was a reproductive endocrinologist. He was shocked by our situation and told me to shave my facial hair. After a $300 consultation, he reluctantly performed my initial checkups. He then required us to see the clinic’s psychologist to see if we were fit to bring a child into this world and consulted with the ethics board of his hospital. A few months and a couple thousand dollars later, he told us that he would no longer treat us, saying he and his staff felt uncomfortable working with "someone like me."

"How does it feel to be a pregnant man? Incredible. Despite the fact that my belly is growing with a new life inside me, I am stable and confident being the man that I am. In a technical sense I see myself as my own surrogate, though my gender identity as male is constant. To Nancy, I am her husband carrying our child -- I am so lucky to have such a loving, supportive wife. I will be my daughter’s father, and Nancy will be her mother. We will be a family."

Last update: 03-26-2008 16:16

Posted by Stepen (michigan), on 03-26-2008 19:05, 1. Wow That is a very selfless acto for him to do for Nancy.  Those that are discrminating are missing out on the good side of history.   » Report this comment to administrator Posted by adam, on 03-26-2008 19:15, 2. oh please. Wow what a self-righteous douchebag. I know exagerration when I see it. And you aren't a pregnant man lol, you are a pregnan woman that looks like a man.    oh and congrats, another baby to fuel our already overpopulated world.   » Report this comment to administrator Posted by alison1960, on 03-26-2008 22:02, 3. what is wrong with this picture? the world is going to hell in a handbasket   » Report this comment to administrator Posted by bobo, on 03-26-2008 23:09, 4. WTF Why?!?! that poor girl is gonna get made fun of in school/ "My daddy gave birth to me" jeez     FTW=Fuck the world. The world is already hell itself.   » Report this comment to administrator Posted by LMD, on 03-26-2008 23:46, 5. chill out, people Why are people so upset about this? It's not really any of your business, and it's not in any way an "ethics" issue, it's a psychological one. I'm really awed by his wife's apparent support, and wish them the best.   » Report this comment to administrator