Daddy or Mommy?

     Recently, a new type of story was told to the world—a type that has never been heard.  Thomas and Nancy Beatie are expecting their first child on July 3, 2008; but the twist is that Thomas is the one who is pregnant.  He is the first pregnant man—what is our world coming to? This was possible because he is transgender.  On April 3, 2008, the couple told their story to the world on The Oprah Show and in People magazine.  They wanted to tell their own story before the public did. 

     After college Thomas Beatie, formally Tracey LaGondino and Miss Teen Hawaii USA Finalist, decided to have a sex reassignment operation because he started to question himself.  He wanted to feel the same way on the outside as the inside, and at this time in his life he was feeling like a man inside.  A few years later, Nancy and Thomas got married.  Nancy was unable to have children because of severe endometriosis. During his operation, Thomas did not have his reproductive organs changed.  Therefore, Nancy and Thomas thought it would be best to try to get him pregnant. Their first attempt failed. They used the process of home insemination in their second attempt, which worked.

     Going on The Oprah Show was a huge step for the couple because they were positioning themselves to face ridicule.  Even some people in the transgender community tried to persuade them not to take the story public because the world may not be ready for such a story. These opinions did not hold Thomas and Nancy back.  Thomas feels it’s a human desire to have a child not a male or female desire.  There have been many roadblocks in his pregnancy process.  It was difficult finding an OBGYN to take him as a patient due to ethical issues.  Dr. Kimberly James accepted Thomas as a patient.  Dr. James states, “She was never worried about her personal reputation.  They deserve quality medical care like anyone else.” Oprah was very supportive of the couple and thinks humans are evolving to a new way of being and a new approach to diversity.  She applauded them for having the courage to go public.  From the publicist viewpoint, Oprah handled the interview best by remaining unbiased and supportive. Personally, I do not agree with a man being pregnant because it goes against God and Nature. It’s absurd and completely wrong! It worries me that our society will gradually accept this and eventually our world will be amoral. There have been mixed comments about this story.  Of course, there are people who support it, and there are others who are highly against it. The blog, Stupid Celebrities Gossip, bashes the Beaties’ by saying that is was an April Fools’ Day prank, or a publicity stunt to promote the Beaties’ T-shirt business.  Too bad it’s not an April Fools’ joke.