Thursday, March 27, 2008
News Of The Weird
By now this is old news, and it's not even a first, but the pregnant trans-gendered man all over the news is from my state. Thomas Beatie was born female but identifies as a male. S/he underwent a double mastectomy about 10 years ago, started testosterone injections, and legally changed his name and his gender. He is legally male, but kept his/her female reproductive organs. He is also married to a woman, Nancy. Years go by and Thomas and Nancy decide they want to have a child. Nancy had had a hysterectomy, so Thomas stopped taking testosterone and his menstrual cycle returned after a few months. He became pregnant via artificial insemination and is said to be about 5 months along. After the child is born, Thomas will be filling the role of father and Nancy will be the mother.
It seems lots of people are up in arms about this, and I'm not sure why. Perhaps the novelty? A "legal" male giving birth? Is it the legality that's upsetting? Because lesbian couples have children and no one is writing articles about it anymore. And once upon a time, people got all nuts about a baby conceived in a test-tube, and now in-vitro is a fairly common fertility treatment. I'm sure the fervor surrounding this particular situation will die down soon and people will realize that families take on all different dynamics. I'm more "comfortable" (not exactly the right word, but I've only had one cup of coffee this morning - forgive me) with Thomas and Nancy as parents - two loving parents who have a seeming stable relationship in which to raise a child - than with some people who intentionally have a child as a single parent, denying the child - on purpose (I'm not talking about single parents as a result of divorce or death) a father (in most cases). I think we need to cut Thomas a break and try to find the joy and happiness in their situation and family. Weird as it is. Who said weird was bad, anyway? We're ALL weird in some way!
It seems lots of people are up in arms about this, and I'm not sure why. Perhaps the novelty? A "legal" male giving birth? Is it the legality that's upsetting? Because lesbian couples have children and no one is writing articles about it anymore. And once upon a time, people got all nuts about a baby conceived in a test-tube, and now in-vitro is a fairly common fertility treatment. I'm sure the fervor surrounding this particular situation will die down soon and people will realize that families take on all different dynamics. I'm more "comfortable" (not exactly the right word, but I've only had one cup of coffee this morning - forgive me) with Thomas and Nancy as parents - two loving parents who have a seeming stable relationship in which to raise a child - than with some people who intentionally have a child as a single parent, denying the child - on purpose (I'm not talking about single parents as a result of divorce or death) a father (in most cases). I think we need to cut Thomas a break and try to find the joy and happiness in their situation and family. Weird as it is. Who said weird was bad, anyway? We're ALL weird in some way!
// posted by MP @ 8:47 AM 
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I hadn't heard of this story. I think it's kind of cool, actually. I'm not surprised that people are up in arms about it. Live and let live, I say! I wish them well.
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# posted by 
: 5:37 PM
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