The Axiom Of Respect
Individuals Demonstrate Valid Behavior
By Treating Themselves And Others Respectfully
And Respecting Only Those Who Earn It
Tonight at 10 p.m. ET, Barbara Walters' interview with Thomas Beatie, the "controversial 'pregnant man'" who is currently expecting his second child, will air on the 20/20 special "What Is a Man, What Is a Woman? Journey of a Pregnant Man." ("Barbara Walters Exclusive: Pregnant Man Expecting Second Child") This will be Beatie's first interview since giving birth just four and a half months ago (June 29, 2008) to his first child, a daughter named Susan.
Beatie's first pregnancy provoked an array of differing emotions and reactions worldwide, with responses ranging from "death threats, and thousands of hateful comments" to "letters and gifts from all around the world, from gays, lesbians, mainstream American and beyond." Closer to home, he and his wife, Nancy, "found acceptance among their Oregon neighbors who threw a baby shower for [him] a few weeks before his due date." Now, his second pregnancy seems to be getting equal, if not more, interest, and all that we ask is for you to please take a moment to look at the entire situation rationally before forming your opinion of the Beaties:
"Thomas Beatie was born Tracy and grew up in Hawaii. A beautiful young girl, Thomas Beatie says he never felt particularly feminine growing up. 'I felt rough and tumbly. I didn't like frilly stuff. [. . .] Back then I did not see an attractive young girl. Putting on makeup, I felt like I was putting on a costume.'"
"In 1998, Thomas Beatie decided to change genders. Psychological testing confirmed that he identified with being a male and he began to medically transform his body." After surgery, he "was legally allowed to change his birth certificate from female to male and his name from Tracy to Thomas."
"In 2003, Thomas and Nancy Beatie were legally married, and like many couples, they decided to start a family. The couple wanted to have a biological link to their child, but Nancy Beatie had a hysterectomy. The couple did not want to hire a surrogate to carry Thomas Beatie's harvested eggs, feeling no surrogate could be as conscientious as he."
After great lengths, the couple finally became pregnant. Interestingly, Beatie "says that pregnancy did not make him feel more like a woman. 'I did not feel maternal or motherly or womanly and pregnant. I felt like Nancy's husband, and I felt like the father of my child.'"
Admittedly, for many in our society, this all sounds a bit over the top, but regardless of how individuals feel on a personal level about Beatie's decision to bear children, abiding by Magna Sententia means treating him (and his wife and children) respectfully, just as we treat everyone else. Doing so may be challenging for some; however, we hope to aid in this process by providing some understanding about Beatie's transsexual history and what that means.
As mentioned in "Diane Schroer: Congratulations On Your Contribution To Transgender Rights!" and "Parents Do Not Need To Fear Foxboro Elementary Music Teacher For Being Transgender," being transsexual is not about sexual activity or sexual orientation. Rather, transsexualism is a medical condition in which the physical sex of a person's body does not match the gender of his or her brain. Beatie did not choose to be transsexual: Transsexuals are born transsexuals. It doesn't make any sense to mistreat or hate transsexuals for something they did not choose and cannot control.
At the same time, it is our hope that the Beaties conduct themselves in an exemplary fashion in all areas of their lives, from the way in which they present themselves and their situation to the public to how they raise their children. Due to the overwhelming attention his pregnancies are receiving, Beatie bears a great responsibility to the transgender community, as his actions will reflect on them as a whole. Unfortunately, this is a community within our country that is terribly misunderstood, and the "gradual acceptance" that they have worked so hard for and justly deserve can easily be marred by Beatie and his choices.
As Americans, we must treat all of our citizens respectfully as we work to understand those who are different from us: It is our duty, our privilege, and a course that unites our country and makes it stronger.
Anna and Ellie Sherise
Creators of The Magna Sententia Weblog
Authors of Magna Sententia: The Logical Cure for Our Society