Here are the 1st three parts of the Oprah interview with Thomas Beatie the transgendered man who is six months pregnant. The interview covers a lot of different topics from class. Thomas Beatie talks about the differences between sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity. In the second video he addresses how he felt that his gender identity identified him more with being a male than a female. I am not sure how much Thomas Beatie would be considered to have Gender Identity Disorder because he doesn't talk about having a strong and persistent discomfort with being a female while growing up. A little bit of Gender Identity Disorder kind of comes in to play when he starts talking about hitting puberty with feeling uncomfortable while playing sports. He also doesn't mention having a significant level of stress in social situations or other life situations which would classify him as having Gender Identity Disorder. But he did follow a few of the steps of "curing" Gender Identity Disorder by taking testosterone hormones and having his breasts removed. I'm really glad that we learned the communication etiquette in class, such as addressing the person by their preferred name and pronoun. When he talks about his father referring to him as "mommy" and "Tracy" you can tell that it really hurts him that his father does this.
Please watch and comment on these videos if you would like. The picture quality occasionally fizzes out, but the sound quality remains clear. Thanks!
5 comments:
I watched this interview yesterday. I'll be honest...I was in awe throughout the eitire interview. Oprah made a comment, asking "Is the world truly ready for a pregnant man?" I don't think the world is. At least I'm not yet!
In the interview, Thomas made a comment that "it is a human being desire to want to have a baby, not just a woman's desire." After talking with a friend about this comment, we both agreed in saying that we do not know of any men, personally, who desire to have a baby themselves!
Though I was extremely uncomfortable watching the interview, the material we have studied in this class helped me to understand where Thomas is coming from. He took testosterone to make him look more like a man, and had his breasts removed. However, I was still confused about this a little bit. Thomas said that he had been off testosterone for a few years, because he wanted to get pregnant. He went off the hormone so it would not harm the baby. But how can he still grow facial hair, have muscle, etc.??? Maybe someone can help me out with this!
Thomas is a prime example when it comes to gender stereotypes as well. When he was younger, and a woman, and dating men, the men and other people told "Tracy" that she was not feminine enough; that she walked like a man and fought like a man. This is when "Tracy" began to feel uncomfortable as a woman, and wanted to be a man. Society's stereotypes, as just seen, can literally destroy a person. What can we learn from Thomas's experiences? And...is the world ready for men to be pregnant?!
I am shocked by this as well, however once I realized this man was born a woman it did not seem that impractical. To be honest I assumed that a transgender person was still their original sex until they have the complete genital surgery. I think that this is completely believable since below the waist this he is really a she. He has functioning ovaries so it is completely feasible that he is carrying a child. I think this couple deserves to make this decision because it is their child, their relationship, and his body. I understand that their may be some questioning in the future about how to raise their child. I am not sure this child will live their life any differently than any other child. It is not as though it will be stamped accross their forehead that the father is who gave birth to them. This child may have easier experiences than other children such as children that come from single parent families or even children of gay or lesbians. I think that since the Thomas is a transgendered person from the outside the family appears to be "normal" and this will help to fight any teasing from other children. Call me crazy but I think we are going to be seeing a lot more of this in the future. I remember watching the Arnold Schartzenager movie "Junior" when I was little and Arnold actually was pregnant in the movie. I wonder if in the future men will be able to take mor part in the pregnancy by actually carrying the fetus. How great would it be to decide to put the fertilized egg into a man to grow and nourish for nine months and then give the man a c-section for the birthing process. It would amazing to be able to make that decision as a couple. I fully support Thomas and his family and wish them luck with pregnancy.
I got the opportunity to watch this interview also. I recorded it and encouraged my roommates to watch it! I found it very disturbing. I realize they are in love and want children of their own and the mother isn't able to conceive but I can't decide whether or not I agree with the procedure. Women were meant to carry the children and give birth for a reason. I know he was once a women but he made several decisions to change that and now he is thinking its morally okay and should be accepted. I am not ready for this and I don't think anyone in the world is! I honestly just feel really bad for that child... I feel that the parents are thinking of themselves and not their child. That person is going to have to deal with this issue for the rest of their life...forgetting, just going up alone, is hard enough!
Wow, this does not look right. A pregnant male. I definately wasn't ready to see this. I am accepting of anyone and everyone, but I don't agree agree with everything nor do I have to. I have studied GLBT's extensively and have found no research that supports any biological foundation. I believe that it is an identity that is aquired. Men are meant for women and vica versa. There are several identities that the world creates and everyone falls victim to them, so there is no reason to discriminate against certain ones- such as gays and lesbians. I have several friends who partake in this identity and I love them just as I do my other friends.
I find this story interesting. Here we have a woman who became a transgendered man, but since he is now going to have a child, shows how he is still physically a woman. I understand how people can feel out of place witht the sex that they are born with and feel as though they need to change. This however to me seems counter productive. He spent all of this time to become a man but then basically throws that out by becoming a woman again by carrying a child as the point that he is transgendered is brought up again and again.
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