I was watching 20/20 on Friday. The first hour was devoted to medical mysteries. One of the mysteries was a pregnant "man". I use " " around man, because this was a transgender female they were discussing. Which is not how it was presented. Yet another media blitz based on a lie in order to get you to watch. Needless to say, I didn't watch the whole thing as I felt there had been a bait and switch. For the record, I have no problems with gays, lesbians or transgender people. And if they should choose to have children, then I think they should have that right. They can't possibly screw it up any worse than the straights. If you disagree that's fine. But my friends thus far have done a phenomenal job in raising their kids in a well adjusted household with 2 same gender parents. And these kids are much more open to accepting differences in others than say most kids raised by hetro parents.

My problem is that once again, the media in order to get ratings, deliberately misled the public. I understand that Thomas Beadie was once a female and has undergone some medical procedures in order to become male. However, he retained his female reproductive organs. He had only had his breasts redone and had hormone shots. I also understand that he is now legally male. But why? The testosterone he has, is injected, not made by him. Does this technically count as being a man? Below is the link for his story.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/wo...an-802520.html

So what makes a man a man? Is it because they produce huge quantities of testosterone and have a penis? Am I the only one who is finding the blurring of the genders difficult to keep up with? Because apparently you can be a man and be pregnant. Just ask Mr. Lee Mingwei. He is a man, not transgender apparently, and is currently waiting to give birth. Is this a hoax?

http://www.malepregnancy.com/mingwei/

If a man wants to carry a child, I'm all for it. Seriously, while I love my kids, I was a horrible pregnant chick. I hated the whole process. Course I was deathly ill with both of them so that could be why. But, (and I'm playing devil's advocate here) aren't the sexes set up to sex specific things like giving birth, (not asking questions when lost *smirk*)? I know that the fundies are going to have a field day with this and start railing about the wrongness of this. How it's not in God's plan for man to give birth. But hell, why should women have all the fun? I would so love to be there when the first huge contraction hits..the one where your eyes cross and all the air leaves your body. The pain is huge man! Are men biologically equipped to deal with that? Obviously a caesarean is in order so they would get to bypass all that. Where's the fairness in that? If I can do au natural, and deliver 2 almost 10 pound babies, then surely a man should too. What? You have a penis. You should have thought about that before getting knocked up.

Science is just freaking me out here folks. First we have lab babies, now clones are possible, and men who are pregnant. Where does it end? What are your thoughts? I open this discussion to see what others think. This is not meant to be a mean spirited discussion. Children are wonderful and I think everyone should be plagued with at least one rug rat...by any means possible.

The best way to predict the future is to invent it.

This isn't specifically aimed at you Helena.

I have a pretty unique perspective on this, having a close relative who has had a sex change.

He really genuinely is a man, and it is a medical condition. Having seen him before or after the difference it has made to his life is amazing, and there are so many differences. He has always thought as a man, and in the eyes of the law, his family and the world is a man just as any other.

To have a sex change you need to demonstrate that you have Gender Dysphoria and go through years of counselling, hormone treatments and life as a person of that gender. It's not for the faint hearted or those who fear being abused. Your qualifications and references remain in your original name. The hormone treatments continue throughout your life.

Just because you are being injected with it doesn't make you less of a person of that gender. Diabetics are injected with synthetic insulin, does that make them less of a person for lacking it?

I have seen the abuse and stick he has got and the "think of the children!" type attitude. It does not harm children or their mental state at all. I am one of the few people who can say this with 100% categorical certainty.

I am proud to be related to someone who stood up for their rights to be who they should be, who has carved a life out for himself as a man. He has a beautiful, intelligent wife and 3 stepchildren. I couldn't see it being any other way and I'm glad he was able to do it.

With regards to the pregnancy thing: it's fine, pretty cool - what a gift to be able to give your partner! I can't think of anything more loving.

Thank you for not throwing things Dreamer. My questions were meant with the utmost respect. If they didn't come across that way, then I apologize. I believe that my questions may be questions that are asked by a lot of people, who for fear may not open their mouths and ask. Does the level of estrogen or testosterone make you more of a male or female? Perhaps to some degrees, yes, it plays a part. On the whole, maybe not so much. I know females who are more masculine than some male friends I have. And male friends who are more feminine. I love these people in my life because they have taught me so much about their lives and the inner strength they have to wake up every day and continue to go out into a world that for the most part look down on their lifestyles.

And as I stated before: For the record, I have no problems with gays, lesbians or transgender people. And if they should choose to have children, then I think they should have that right. I just wanted to start some dialogue. It started off one way and ended up going in a different direction than I anticipated. Which sometimes happens with me, but I look at it as a learning lesson.

Thank you Dreamer for sharing your story. I am glad your relative is leading the life he felt he should be, and is happy while doing it.

The best way to predict the future is to invent it.

The truth is though, ias that it can be BLOODY confusing for those who are not close family in these situations, and can take a LOT of getting used to.

I know a transgender woman, problem is I knew her as a Man, with a mans name (which i'll not divulge) beforehand. Without going into too much detail she was born an hermaphrodite....there is a new name for it but it escapes me....and her parents were told to make a choice, they opted for a boy, the boys bits were all there and she was raised as a boy/man.
Problem being, she always knew she was really a woman inside, and tried hard to hide it, and thought that she'd be shunned by many who knew her should they find out.
Suffice to say somebody did find out, and posted pictures of her (them a him) dressed as a woman, on the internet.

Anyway, I found out about it, and basically told her not to worry over it, that we (we being the airsoft site I help run) were not bothered what sex she was, and would sort out anybody who gave her abuse while onsite. Now she comes down fairly regular, we've had some long chats over what is happening in her life (as her family disowned her for wanting to be a girl) and she has got very emotional and hormonal a couple of times due to whatever it is she is taking, to the point where I had to have words.
But we now see her as a girl....even though it was bloody hard at first and several mistakes were made.....and always treat her as though she was born a woman and we knew no different....and when last we spoke she told me her doctors reckon all the bits may even be intact for her to give birth, but she was waiting on results.


So strange, hard to accept for some......but nothing out of the ordinary these days it seems

I'll keep this short and sweet. Society is used to it's regular routine. There's a deeper meaning in that sentence, think about it and you'll figure out what I'm trying to say.

I had no idea society had a regular routine. What does this mean? Don't be vague. I think society as a whole is in for some new ideas, concepts and things to ponder over as we get more technologically advanced.

The best way to predict the future is to invent it.

I dunno...it must feel very awkward to be the wrong sex in the wrong body, something I know little about. I do know that some people are born with more male/female hormones than others, and that's nature at work. We've all seen the masculine women and dainty men...I have zero problems with that as long as they aren't wining about it...or using it as an excuse for something. We are all born with the equipment that developed during our growth in the womb...to me that's a beautiful thing...a unique thing.

Making the Internet just a little more attractive, after all looks do count!

I agree with you Echo. That's probably a very awkward and painful process to have to go through. Questioning who you are. My real point in the original post got a bit lost. For that, I apologize. My point initially started out as an evil diatribe against the media for once again misleading the public. But then I got rather sidetracked with all the other stuff. And as I stated they were just general questions that others may be afraid to ask. See, I'm somewhat stupid, so I'll just ask those questions. I'll blunder where others fear to tread. Because I'm curious and I like to know answers. With all the debate about what makes a male male and a female female, I wanted to see what all of you thought defined the sexes. And what stance you took in males now able to have children, whether they are transgender or not. My feeling is like Dreamers- what a gift to be able to have a child with someone you love, or on your own. As long as you can love and nurture said child, who cares what sex you are or were.

I sincerely hope I didn't come across as anti anything other than the media and their exploitive underhandedness.

The best way to predict the future is to invent it.

Aww, yes Helena...sometimes these threads get a little sidetracked, everyone thinking something different I suppose, and I agree the media sucks bigtime...it's all about the money and fame... at anyones or anythings expense that happens to swing a little differently from the norm.

Making the Internet just a little more attractive, after all looks do count!

well im against men giving birth to children I have to be honest, as it would distrupt the normal flow of nature....sod society and sod science, nature made it this way for a reason, and as we've proven many times in science,.....messing with nature could well backfire on us.

Thats not to mention the fact it could actually cause untold problems for couples. Should it become an acceptable practice, I think we could see the breakdown of relationships purely because both want children, but neither want to stand up and be pregnant.

I have to admit, in my situation...I have seven kids, and have been through seven female pregnancies, IF lisa wanted to try for another child and this was available and asked me to take my turn she'd get told in no uncertain terms NOT A CHANCE......lol