I saw this story early last week on ParentDish and thought it was quite amazing.
Thomas was born female and underwent a gender change. He is now married and his wife is unable to have children due to having a hysterectomy for medical reasons. Since Thomas still has his uterus still intact they opted for him to be artificially inseminated and carry their child. Thomas is now five months pregnant. While they’re getting quite a bit of support, they are obviously getting quite a bit of flack for their choice with one doctor refusing to treat them on ethical grounds.
What do you think? Do you agree/disagree with their reasoning? I didn’t see the choice of adoption being discussed as a possible choice in any of the articles I’ve read on this story and wondered how important it is to ‘grow’ your own child. What are your views on this?
EDIT: I have just read a more detailed article by CyberShrink who goes on to explain the reason many people are taking issue with the ‘pregnant man’. This does make me question the way the facts were presented by Thomas. Have a read and tell me what you think.
Why adopt a child when you’re physically capable of having your own child? They used Thomas’s own embryo and got sperm from a donor bank. Physically, internally he is still a woman and he still desires to have his own child. Carrying a baby is one of the most unique experiences a human can have so if he is capable of doing it with his own embryo, uterus etc, why shouldn’t he? It’s just his outside that is different.
This man had transgender feelings as a child and decided to have sex change. So took hormones, cut off his breasts and grew a beard. Genetically he is still female. When he decided to become man he made the decision to keep his own reproductive organs. Obviously he (at the time still she) had deep feelings about wanting a child of their own some day and still somewhere in the back of their mind wanted to be a mother. Nothing so bad about that. So what gives? He’s not allowed to have a baby? I say more power to him. If you think about it, it’s not such a big deal as people are making it out to him.
I think people have the same issue with this as they do with the idea of men breastfeeding. As you yourself said, it is physically possible for men to do it but when you mention it to people they react with horror.
Some very good points there, F. Personally I think there’s nothing wrong with Thomas carrying their child. If he has the equipment then I don’t see a problem with it.
I’m intrigued with people’s reasons for thinking this is ‘wrong’ because I don’t quite understand why they would think it is and I’d really like some clarification on where they’re coming from with their argument. So anyone with an alternate view…please let us know what you think!
My take on it: if they want to have the child, then power to them. Let them. Why the heck anyone else should intrude with their opinions, decrying its wrongness, etc, as in most cases where the issue a) has nothing to do with them and b) has about as much effect on their lives as Alpha Centauri IV, should keep their cotton-picking opinions to themselves. Let the couple have their child, dammit! Who are we to judge whether they’ll be fit parents or not?
I agree with Fayyaad – take the Irish approach, smile be polite and bitch and say your opinions in the privacy of your own home or when they get at least 20 metres away from you
But seriously, I care not, like said, so many people want to have a kid and if this is how they get thier happyness then go for it – so many babies are accidents at least this one was wanted and the parents will be ready and waiting.
Hmm…the new information DOES make for interesting reading. Why did Thomas obscure so many details about the sex change? I’m rethinking my stance here.
Nah, hold on. I’m not. If they want to do it, let them.
Well, this certainly is a thorny issue. Thomas did not undergo a complete gender change – she only had her breasts removed, and took male hormones, in order to make herself appear to be male, so that she could get married to her female life partner. So “he” is still kind of a “she”, as she otherwise wouldn’tve been able to get pregnant in the first place.
I think that as long as the couple will be able to care for the child properly, they should be able to have it. For example, it seems that since Thomas had her breasts removed, she’s not gonna be able to breastfeed the baby… will this have any effect on its health? Will growing in a body that is inundated with male hormones affect it? I don’t know the answers to these questions, but I hope they were considered before they decided to have a child.