The ‘Pregnant Man’ Gives Birth To His Second Child
After giving birth to his first child with wife Nancy Beatie last July (a girl the couple named Susan Juliette), we learned in November that Thomas Beatie the so-called “pregnant man” was pregs once again with the couple’s second child. ABC News is reporting that Beatie gave birth to a baby boy early Tuesday morning (June 09) by way of natural child birth:
Thomas Beatie, the controversial “pregnant man,” gave birth to his second child, a healthy baby boy, early this morning, “20/20″ has learned. Sources close to the couple say that it was a “natural childbirth” and that they have not yet decided on the boy’s name. Beatie’s wife, Nancy, will be breastfeeding their son, as she did with their daughter, Susan Juliette, who was born last June. Photos of a bearded Beatie with a pregnant belly caused a sensation last year, leading to headlines about the world’s first “pregnant man.” Born a woman named Tracy, Thomas Beatie, now 35, had sex-reassignment surgery and legally changed his gender from female to male in Hawaii. Beatie, who kept his female reproductive organs, says that he decided to bear children, when his wife Nancy, 46, was not able to. The couple described their unusual path to parenthood in an exclusive interview with Barbara Walters last year, during which they revealed that Thomas was expecting a second child. Then in his first trimester, Beatie told Walters he did not go back on the male hormone testosterone after Susan’s birth so he could have another baby. “I feel good,” he said. “I had my checkups with my hormone level, as far as the HCG. And everything is right on track.” In last year’s exclusive interview, Beatie spoke to Walters about Susan’s birth, which was also not via Caesarean section. He was in labor for 40 hours; Nancy Beatie cut the umbilical cord.
Well … I suppose congratulations are in order for the expanding Beatie family! Now Thomas and Nancy have a girl and a boy … the traditionally “perfect” American family! I suspect news of this second birth will cause a bit of a sensation all over again (like news of the couple’s first child did last Summer) but, once again, I’m sure things will be back to normal again for the family. Again I say, much love and congrats to the Beaties on the birth of their little boy!
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Tags: "Pregnant Man", Nancy Beatie, Thomas Beatie
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June 9th, 2009 at 2:06 pm
I still find this weird. Whatever. Babies are nice good for them!
June 9th, 2009 at 2:15 pm
Okay newsflash. If “he” is capable of having a “natural” childbirth (meaning vaginal) “he” is not a man. Call him pregnant transsexual, pregnant male-identifying-female, but “he” has a vagina. Ergo, not a man. I am so sick of this story.
June 9th, 2009 at 2:35 pm
I agree with sfmom. Calling a person with a vagina a man sets back GLBT, et al.
June 9th, 2009 at 2:38 pm
@angelabaca — do you know what the “T” in GLBT stands for?
June 9th, 2009 at 2:41 pm
SHE IS NOT A MAN! She has a vagina! Just because she had her breasts removed and grew a beard does not make her a “man”. Please stop giving this attention whore more attention than she deserves.
June 9th, 2009 at 2:44 pm
You said it, Trent. Vagina or not, he’s living life as a man with wife and child and all such things. He’s as much of a man as any genetic man could hope to be. That’s why they call it transsexuality – because the body doesn’t show what the mind, i.e. the person is.
June 9th, 2009 at 3:15 pm
I have no problem with any part of this story expect where the media calls him a man. Where if there were no pregnancy involved I bet we would have just had another “Tranny” on our hands.
June 9th, 2009 at 3:26 pm
Being a man or a woman is socially defined. Sex i.e. male or female is biological. And even that is iffy, because what about those who are intersexed? Anywhoo, so although he may not be a genetic male he is indeed a man.
June 9th, 2009 at 3:37 pm
Yeah, transgendered. I get that calling Beatie the “pregnant man” is more for headlines and media, but how can he identify as a man, marry a straight woman, and then have natural childbirth? Doesn’t that make him female, not male? I understand that there is a time where a transgendered person is at odds with their identity and trying to figure it out, but Beatie has picked his side: male. Men don’t have a uterus. I’m just saying, call him for what he is.
Male/Female couples with reproductive problems don’t have the luxury of having an extra uterus between them.
June 9th, 2009 at 3:42 pm
It really upsets me when people don’t consider him a man just because he gave birth. He is living as a man and are the children’s father. It takes a lot of courage for him to give have these children and make a family with his wife with all the flack he gets for it. Congrats to the family :) .
June 9th, 2009 at 3:50 pm
What about all the Transsexuals that went the whole nine yards with gender/sex reassignment surgery? (I think gender is social and sex is biological, but I may have it backwards.) Don’t you think this takes from them? I would be very upset if I were a transsexual. After all the time and effort they put into being accepted as a member of their real sex/gender, wouldn’t you consider this a setback?
June 9th, 2009 at 4:02 pm
@angelabaca — why do you seem so upset over this? what does it matter to anyone outside of their family what anyone calls them?
June 9th, 2009 at 4:05 pm
angelabaca, no. the trans community understands better than anyone that what is between your legs does not make you a man or a woman. he’s a man. everyone needs to just chill out, drop the transphobia, and accept it, why does this upset everyone so much? he knows what he is, and he is a man. it doesn’t need to be put in quotes and it doesn’t need to send everyone into a panic.
everyone who doesn’t get it do yourselves (and everyone else) a favour and spend some time on the Questioning Transphobia blog, here’s something to get you started
http://questioningtransphobia.wordpress.com/category/trans-101/
A highlight: “Genitals do not of themselves determine gender”
June 9th, 2009 at 4:16 pm
@trent – I have GLBT friends. Which, I know, doesn’t make me the most qualified person in this debate by any means, but I still have an opinion. That is all, no malice or offense meant to anyone.
June 9th, 2009 at 4:16 pm
HER kids are going to be so screwed up. This is so weird and unnatural.
June 9th, 2009 at 4:21 pm
Ella, thanks, I’m glad to see the transphobia blog speaks for everyone. I stand corrected.
June 9th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
I am all for transsexuality, homosexuality, bisexuality, etc. I’m very liberal, but I don’t feel as if this “man” is a man. My definition of man is a human being with a penis. My definition of a woman is a human being with a vagina. I don’t mean to sound so narrow-minded if I come off that way. BUT I am happy for them and congratulations to the happy family!
June 9th, 2009 at 4:24 pm
@angelabaca — I took no offense or malice from your comments, you just seem to be angry about this issue. I say, live and let live … who cares what labels this family chooses to use, as long as they love each other that’s all that matters.
@JJ — I think it is very smallminded to assume that the children will be “so screwed up”. What is “weird and unnatural” to you may not be for others.
June 9th, 2009 at 4:26 pm
There is nothing normal about this freak show… If “he” really wanted to be a man, then why would she hold onto the ONE thing that seperates the man and woman, and that being the ability to give birth… If she really wanted to be a MAN, then that would have come out too..
This is nothing more than a delusional attention seeking freak, with the money for a bunch of stupid surgerys.
Sorry… Gay and lesbian is one thing… Transgendered will NEVER be taken seriously by most of the world.. And someone like this isn’t going to help their cause.
June 9th, 2009 at 4:33 pm
@Nysro – “Transgenered will NEVER be taken seriously”? I love how so sure you are. Wasn’t there a point in history where blacks were never thought be taken seriously either? And now we have a half-African-American president. Don’t be so sure of yourself. Things change.
June 9th, 2009 at 4:37 pm
She is not a man. This is so stupid. Not sure why the press and the public find this news worthy.
June 9th, 2009 at 4:50 pm
Isn’t modern medicine amazing? Yay Beatie family!
June 9th, 2009 at 5:05 pm
not.a.man.
June 9th, 2009 at 5:17 pm
When I read all the comments from so many closed minded people, it reminds me how sad our world really is. The fact that all you would be so angered by Mr. Beatie identifying as male, is so strange. What does it matter to any you how he chooses to identify? What is it about messing with sex and gender roles that makes everyone so uncomfortable?
All of you should read this short story called “Baby X”. I taught it to my students at the university I teach at.
http://etransgender.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=1850
June 9th, 2009 at 5:43 pm
40 hours?!?! Holy shit! 40 hours of labour…thats a bitcha dn a half!
June 9th, 2009 at 6:06 pm
@angelabaca, considering that Lisa Harney is a respected activist and member of the trans community, what she says what it means to be trans means a lot more than what you or I say (no matter how many “GLBT friends” you have)
to everyone, what’s really sad is how much hate there is on this thread. how does this affect your life negatively? all of you could choose to just be accepting instead of further ridiculing a segment of the population that already lives with constant prejudice, discrimination, and violence directed at them.
June 9th, 2009 at 6:08 pm
@Sinann, I know, I can’t imagine 40 hrs! anyone who goes through 40 hrs of labour deserves a medal!
June 9th, 2009 at 6:56 pm
haha i’d give them more then a medal for 40 hrs of labour..hell id give them an island or something lol.
June 9th, 2009 at 7:19 pm
He’s a man. Despite not having “bottom” surgery (which many FTM don’t, it’s too much pain and trauma for very little) I delieve he is LEGALLY a man, he identifies as male, so he is a man. Just out of human decency, call him by the pronoun he wants to be called.
Also, he may very well decide at a later date to have the surgery. One reason he hasn’t yet is because his wife is unable to have kids, and they wanted a family. I would hope that if my partner had the ability (which obvs, he doesn’t) , and if I was unable, that he would.
June 9th, 2009 at 7:53 pm
I wonder do people think that FTMs can just walk down to the local penis store and pick out the shiny new model…
FYI
a. Bottom surgery, particularly for FTMs, is incredibly expensive and insurance companies typically aren’t too keen on covering it.
b. The surgery that exists now isn’t especially top of the line for FTMs. It’s easier to turn a penis into a vagina than to do the opposite. For this reason and others, many FTMs choose NOT to have bottom surgery. Thomas is not an anomaly in that regard.
c. Good grief, it’s not like he set out to be the pregnant man. Many FTMs would prefer to just be treated as a man. However, Thomas and his wife wanted bio kids. She couldn’t have them, he still had the necessary parts, so he’s having the kids.
June 9th, 2009 at 8:12 pm
Who cares what this person is or isn’t? The fact of the matter is that these children have two parents who love and cherish them unconditionally and that is ALL that matters!
Some people need to worry more about themselves and less about OTHER people’s lives!
June 9th, 2009 at 9:23 pm
DISGUSTING.
And that’s all I have to say about this subject.
June 9th, 2009 at 9:34 pm
@J, Thanks for enlightening a generation in your classroom! I wish more educators were as brave as you.
And CONGRATS to the Beatie family. He is a wonderful father!
June 9th, 2009 at 9:53 pm
WHO GIVES A FUCK?
June 9th, 2009 at 10:02 pm
this man really creeps me out ever since i saw him on Oprah.
June 9th, 2009 at 11:56 pm
It’s not transphobia to disagree with someone on how or why they they live as they choose. Just because someone doesn’t agree doesn’t mean you fear it. As a society we only legally have to tolerate others not agree or approve of it.
As far as facts go, this “man” is biologically a women. If I decide to live my life as a cheetah (like that tattooed guy does) it doesn’t make me a cheetah, I’m still a man. Facts are facts. If I go by this women then my flat chested Grandma with her beard is now a man also. MEN DON”T GIVE BIRTH, Only women do. Lose the vagina and get a penis and I will call him a woman.
June 10th, 2009 at 12:00 am
I’m a gay man who fully supports transgender couples BUT I have to say this kinda sickens me.. It just seems wrong, I’m sure the couple are lovely people and have every right to have children but I don’t know it seems kinda gross! More power to them…but still, yucky!!!
June 10th, 2009 at 12:18 am
WOW – People are so fixated on the penis … the simple fact is medical science can do most things now, but they have not worked out how to build a penis that is a regular size – they can build a small one … Many Trans also don’t have surgery as they’re worried about losing sensation. Some feel they just don’t need the surgery.
June 10th, 2009 at 12:19 am
vic – you should know better …
June 10th, 2009 at 12:25 am
i’m glad there are people expressing acceptance. i just feel like a lot of people don’t seem to understand that things like ridiculing transpeople, calling them freaks, calling them by the wrong pronoun or “it” etc just adds to the shunning, prejudice, and yes hatred of transpeople. it translates to discrimination and yes, violence. even if you personally don’t hate or fear transpeople or want to hurt them, dehumanizing them by saying these things just helps the people who do. yes you’re all entitled to your opinions, but saying things like that about another human being (especially when those human beings are murdered at a rate of at least 1/month in the U.S. just for existing as they do) has consequences. have some empathy.
June 10th, 2009 at 12:26 am
vic, you’re entitled to your opinion but wouldn’t you think it was pretty unnecessary for someone to say “i support gay couples and gay rights, but gay sex kinda sickens me. gays are great people and all, but ew gay sex is just gross” ? i’m gay and i would find it unnecessary, like if you fully support me then why go out of your way to stuff like that when a lot of society ridicules me already? i’d guess that trans people would feel that way too. but i’m glad you at least support trans rights.
June 10th, 2009 at 1:13 am
i think this is such an interesting topic that is beyond what the majority of society is capable of comprehending..we imagine indiviudals to fit some kind of “norm” we’ve all created in our minds.. for example, think of individuals with disabilities.. some people can’t imagine even looking at some individuals with certain deformities. but some can look past it and see them for who they are. some think they belong in a circus! but i just really feel negativity is largely a result of humans who do not have the capability of looking beyond “deviants” of our society as some would say.
thanks for putting this on my radar, Trent!
June 10th, 2009 at 1:45 am
The fact that “he” doesn’t have male genitalia doesn’t bother me so much…we all know that having balls does not a man make sometimes. What I think annoys/puts off a lot of people is the fact that she hasn’t had her reproductive organs removed. If this person truly wanted to live as a male, wouldn’t he have done this? Outwardly he dresses like a man, but underneath each month he has to use a tampon.
I honestly don’t care if a person is straight, gay, purple, blue, Chinese, Aussie, French or Martian…but you need to be true to yourself. And how can this person be when they’re really neither female nor male. The fact that this couple love these children is also a given. However, kids can be cruel and I really don’t see how these children will escape taunting and ridicule when they get older. No matter how much most of us instill in our children not to discriminate, there will always be some arsehole (and his equally arsehole-ish kid) who will. It’s a sad fact of life and I’m afraid these people have left themselves wide open to all sorts of grief.
June 10th, 2009 at 4:24 am
if you want to be a man – be a man. If you want to be a woman – be a woman. I could care less which, just pick one and be true to your decision!
June 10th, 2009 at 7:24 am
Congrats to the Beatie Family!!! Enjoy your children and love them all you can, that is what kids really need LOVE. Kids don’t care if their parents are “weird” they need love, affection and time.
June 10th, 2009 at 9:23 am
I’m fixated on the penis ; )
June 10th, 2009 at 9:24 am
When a man pushes a baby out his pecker then a man will give birth.
June 10th, 2009 at 9:26 am
Wow! I think this is the most heated debate I’ve seen on PITNB. Although this story isn’t really my cup of tea, that family isn’t hurting anyone or breaking any laws so I’m keeping out of it.
June 10th, 2009 at 9:29 am
@canuckistani — to be honest, this debate was pretty much the same one that took place here on the blog last july when the first baby was born. for some reason, people feel a vested interest in this story.
June 10th, 2009 at 9:34 am
@sunstrider – 100% ditto
June 10th, 2009 at 10:18 am
Seriously if they are happy, who cares? It doesnt affect your life at all. Get over it!
June 10th, 2009 at 11:50 am
I think it’s beautiful. I consider my self a Christian but I also believe in living to your full potential the way God intended. So many people live sad miserable lives and this family is happy and to me, that glorifies God. They love each other and want to bring children into their lives to share that love and to grow into kind decent people. To me that’s all that matters. People should be happy for them regardless.
June 10th, 2009 at 5:44 pm
Hey!!! congratulations!!!!! A new baby is a gift to god, carefull so much, please dont listen the people, live your own life and will be happy….
June 10th, 2009 at 11:03 pm
I think it’s the armpit hair in the famous picture that’s causing so much anger and disgust. :)