True, the story isn't really all that extraordinary given he was born with a womb but as an ftm, I'm glad this story has gotten this kind of mass attention.
For one, it's drawn attention to the fact we exist.
For two, it shows the public a man who is obviously comfortable enough with his parts to bear children.
That some ftms do not desire genital rearrangement and we're not just women with a bad case of penis envy (which the general public would undoubtedly assume upon hearing about 'women who want to be men'.
So, regardless of how this story's been presented, I think it's very good for the community and non-traditional transpeople especially.

QuoteTrue, the story isn't really all that extraordinary given he was born with a womb but as an ftm, I'm glad this story has gotten this kind of mass attention.
For one, it's drawn attention to the fact we exist.
For two, it shows the public a man who is obviously comfortable enough with his parts to bear children.
That some ftms do not desire genital rearrangement and we're not just women with a bad case of penis envy (which the general public would undoubtedly assume upon hearing about 'women who want to be men'.
So, regardless of how this story's been presented, I think it's very good for the community and non-traditional transpeople especially.

The above bolded is a point that i think most of the people complaining about the story seem to miss. Positive awareness is still positive awareness. Whether or not people agree with HOW the story was presented it's still important that it WAS presented. Society will not begin to change for something until it knows that that thing exists. It may not be the most ideal way but there are many far far worse ways to get it in the public eye.

I hate to say it but I think money is the main object here......personally this story is getting stale, it lost it definition of a personal challenge, and heading into more of a Springer style episode.

gina

  It may not be in my place to say anything and I may catch a lot of heat for this but as someone who deals with the straight christian community from a straight perspective, this person has brought the existance of the ts community to light indeed.
  Unfortunately he has also dealt a black eye to it as most of the straight christians are ignorant of ts issues and look at them through their biased tunnel-vision of passed down teachings.
  Sadly, the exposure may be worse than no exposure in this case as most just tend to feel that the person is a female and if "he" was truly a male there would have been no desire to carry a child nor keep the parts of the anatomy that enable carrying and giving birth.
  Well, I'm through with what I have heard and read from those I have communicated with.
  If I am wrong, at least I tried to give the straight perspective.
  I might add that these are not what I believe though.
  Del

Posted on: June 11, 2008, 09:27:03 PM

---

  My wording above may be pretty poor so I just wanted to explain a bit.
  The straight Christian community for the most part has pretty much deemed the transsexual community as perverts, freaks and demon possessed.
  Now, thanks too this individual many have added greedy and money hungry to their list of descriptive words while enforcing their opinion that gender means nothing more than covering the above sins they see.
  As if the transsexual community doesn't have enough trouble being accepted in this world!
  Really sad.
  Del

Well, since I posted this news item I might as well chime in.

A month or so ago I watched Thomas Beatie's Oprah appearance on youtube. He seemed quite sincere to me. I don't believe he's writing a book solely to make a buck, my impression is that he's going public to educate people about transgender lives.

Wouldn't it be nice if someday a trans man having a baby wasn't any more extraordinary news than any other person having a baby. Perhaps Thomas' book can be a step in that direction.

Zythyra

I imagine that if the intent was to teach about the transsexual community the shock factor of that first step may provide a good start.
I know it sure made an impression and wakeup call to the straight sector.
Hopefully good will come from it.
Del

Quote from: ell on June 11, 2008, 04:32:13 PM
of the child, then: "You will be the first child in history born to a man!"

Or actually not.  There have been quite a few FtoMs who have already done this.

Quote from: Lisbeth on June 12, 2008, 08:40:55 AM

Quote from: ell on June 11, 2008, 04:32:13 PM
of the child, then: "You will be the first child in history born to a man!"

Or actually not.  There have been quite a few FtoMs who have already done this.

Notably Matt Rice, author Pat Califia's partner, in the late 90s.

Zythyra

Quote from: Lisbeth on June 12, 2008, 08:40:55 AM
There have been quite a few FtoMs who have already done this.

Exactly.  FtMs have been doing this quietly for decades now.  Heavy, exploitative publicization of such a bizarre (to the general public) set of circumstances doesn't seem like it will do much to help the cause.  If anything, I would be afraid of a tightening of policy preventing FtMs from changing legal sex unless such situations are not impossible.  This could lead to making necessary removing all of the plumbing (hysterectomy, vaginectomy, etc.)--very dangerous and expensive procedures, all the worse if they are unwanted--in order to change legal sex.  After all, sterilization was regarded traditionally as a requirement for  recognition of sex change.  Scary stuff.

Lia

Quote from: genovais on June 12, 2008, 09:26:12 AM

Quote from: Lisbeth on June 12, 2008, 08:40:55 AM
There have been quite a few FtoMs who have already done this.

Exactly.  FtMs have been doing this quietly for decades now.  Heavy, exploitative publicization of such a bizarre (to the general public) set of circumstances doesn't seem like it will do much to help the cause.  If anything, I would be afraid of a tightening of policy preventing FtMs from changing legal sex unless such situations are not impossible.  This could lead to making necessary removing all of the plumbing (hysterectomy, vaginectomy, etc.)--very dangerous and expensive procedures, all the worse if they are unwanted--in order to change legal sex.  After all, sterilization was regarded traditionally as a requirement for  recognition of sex change.  Scary stuff.

Lia

Umm, why would they do that?  It benefits no one, no one can make a buck off of it, and it's a pretty rare thing (pregnant FtoMs).  TG people are barely on the radar screen of the world at large.  Search the archives of the New York Times for ENDA if you don't believe me.

Mr. Beatty owes the TG world nothing.  If he wants to exploit the situation to make a buck, fine.  There is no law against making money in this country!

Quote from: genovais on June 12, 2008, 09:26:12 AM

Exactly.  FtMs have been doing this quietly for decades now.  Heavy, exploitative publicization of such a bizarre (to the general public) set of circumstances doesn't seem like it will do much to help the cause.  If anything, I would be afraid of a tightening of policy preventing FtMs from changing legal sex unless such situations are not impossible.  This could lead to making necessary removing all of the plumbing (hysterectomy, vaginectomy, etc.)--very dangerous and expensive procedures, all the worse if they are unwanted--in order to change legal sex.  After all, sterilization was regarded traditionally as a requirement for  recognition of sex change.  Scary stuff.

Lia

My fear exactly Lia. I see more backlash than good coming from this.

Dennis

QuoteThe straight Christian community for the most part has pretty much deemed the transsexual community as perverts, freaks and demon possessed.

Would that be the organised religion that is christianity or those that hold a christian faith?  I never set foot within a church owing to the cold atmosphere that lies within but I have christian friends that only offer warmth love and friendship with no issues about what I am and they dont go to church.....no ties to 'teachings and doctrine', just lovely human beings