A Pregnant MAN?

Oregon man announces he's expecting a baby and is due this summer.

pregnant_man.jpg

Sounds like a soap opera story line—woman has sex change (including chest reconstruction and testosterone therapy) but keeps reproductive organs. Now she's a he. When his wife is unable to conceive, he uses frozen donor sperm to get pregnant himself. 

But this is not a daytime drama, it's very, very real. Thomas Beatie says although he's carrying their child--reportedly a girl--he'll act as the baby's father while his wife will be Mom. Beatie, who is currently five months pregnant, shares his personal story in this month's edition of The Advocate.

Considering the stereotypical man has a hard time dealing with the common cold—we wonder how this dude's handling the joys of pregnancy.

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15 comments so far

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Anonymous on March 26, 2008 1:17 PM wrote:

If a man still has his female reproductive organs…doesn’t that make him still technically a woman? Just asking. i have no idea what the rules are anymore…

 
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Wait Wait on March 26, 2008 1:21 PM wrote:

Okay…this “man” kept his reproductive organs and is now able to carry a baby…so YEAH, this man must have a womb…and must’ve been a woman before, right?

 
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Shannon on March 26, 2008 1:37 PM wrote:

Sex change=changing EVERYTHING. So if “he” has the insides still intact, he is still a she in my book.

 
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Anonymous on March 26, 2008 1:47 PM wrote:

yes, he was a woman before and now he’s a guy. he’s legally married to his wife because he had gender reassignment. weird.

 
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An Opportunity on March 26, 2008 2:13 PM wrote:

This will open up discussions that will be uncomfortable. But as with anything uncomfortable it’s the unknown that strikes fear in us. So if we participate in these discussions this can be an opportunity for everyone not just a couple to have a family.

 
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av3ry on March 26, 2008 2:56 PM wrote:

For those of you saying—or are planning on saying—“he is still a ‘she’ because ‘she’ still has ‘her parts,’” please, please do some reading on gender identity/transgenders. Many people never go so far as actually having surgery (whether it’s cost, they don’t want to, etc), but still live as the opposite sex. He is legally male and legally married to his wife.
If someone chooses to identify as another gender, please respect that, even if you don’t agree or understand. It’s insanely rude of you not to. (It’s also rude to put “him” in quotes.)
Ever feel like you’re trapped in your body? Whether it’s weight issues, your looks, body shape? Try to imagine what it would be like if you felt like you were trapped in a body with completely wrong parts!

 
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Kelley on March 26, 2008 4:46 PM wrote:

Newsflash, if you were born with to X chromosomes, you’re a WOMAN. This isn’t a pregnant MAN, it’s a pregnant woman masquerading as a man. Which is certainly her free will, but I’m so sick of the whole “no, no, I’m a MAN,” thing. XY= Man. XX=Woman. Period.

 
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Anonymous on March 26, 2008 6:00 PM wrote:

glad to see you putting yourself in someone else’s shoes there, Kelley!

 
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Wait Wait on March 26, 2008 8:33 PM wrote:

I wasn’t putting “him” in quotes to be rude, but just to offer some clarity here. I get the transgender thing, BUT it would probably make things easier for EVERYONE if in THIS case, they could mention that he was a woman first. Otherwise, the story comes off completely different! For all we know, this person could have also been born a hermaphrodite and have both sex parts. Most of us don’t know and the more vague you get, the more we STILL won’t know…so relax.

 
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Wait Wait on March 26, 2008 8:34 PM wrote:

I wasn’t putting “him” in quotes to be rude, but just to offer some clarity here. I get the transgender thing, BUT it would probably make things easier for EVERYONE if in THIS case, they could mention that he was a woman first. Otherwise, the story comes off completely different! For all we know, this person could have also been born a hermaphrodite and have both sex parts. Most of us don’t know and the more vague you get, the more we STILL won’t know…so relax.

 
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Wait Wait on March 26, 2008 8:38 PM wrote:

Well…it’s all good…they’ve obviously now fixed the problem by saying in the article “Now she’s a he.” Case closed.

 
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Wait Wait on March 26, 2008 8:39 PM wrote:

It’s all good…they’ve obviously now fixed the confusion by inserting: “Now she’s a he.” Now, we get it. Case Closed.

 
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Jen on March 26, 2008 10:55 PM wrote:

The day that a man actually endures a pregnancy is an excellent day in my book! I am really excited for this couple to have the roles reversed. Though this man knows what it feels like to be a woman, he lives as a man and most likely thinks like a man and I think it’s excellent that he would give up that masculinity for 9 months in order to have a family with the woman he loves.

 
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LainyB on March 28, 2008 12:38 AM wrote:

It seems very,very wrong and what will they tell the poor kid

 
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Karen on April 2, 2008 12:56 PM wrote:

Hmmm, I’d have said that he is a female man and the biological mother while his wife would be taking the standard maternal role. But that’s just me. I’m assuming he is defining “mother” as “female parental role model,” rather than “person who gave birth.” As this is not inconsistent with calling a woman who adopted her child “mother,” I don’t see complication there. It all depends on definition. Sexually, obviously, this person is female, simple because there is a double X chromosome and female reproductive capabilities, but, so far as our society’s gender stereotypes go, he seems to define himself as too masculine to tolerate being treated girly. It’s really interesting.

Which leads to the fun woman thing. We tend to maintain that the reason men can’t pull off pregnancy is because they have insufficient pain and aggravation tolerance. Does the simple fact that he is managing the aggravation and possibly the main make him more feminine?

 
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