In the aftermath of Oregon transgender man Thomas Beatie's announcement that he is pregnant, the silence from LGBT groups – specifically transgender organizations – has been surprising and disappointing. Beatie transitioned several years ago and had chest surgery, but had opted to keep his female reproductive organs. Now legally married to his wife Nancy, the couple decided that Beatie would be inseminated with donor sperm and carry the baby. Nancy had had a hysterectomy and couldn't get pregnant.
We shouldn't criticize the Beaties' personal decision, but there are broader consequences for their actions, and the community should be able to confront the issue in a mature manner. And after the couple appeared on Oprah and had a profile published in People magazine, it's apparent the growing publicity will keep the story alive. It's not everyday that a man says he is pregnant, and when many people first hear about the story they react with fear and derision. People need to be educated to learn about the circumstances so that the conversation doesn't devolve into the "yuck" factor.
And the yucks are out there. Last weekend's Saturday Night Live featured a parody of Beatie that was so lacking in background (and humor) that most viewers probably were in the dark since there was no mention of Beatie being transgender, hence, no context.
First and foremost is the issue of how Beatie's decision will affect people's perception of the larger transgender community, particularly trans men. Other than a brief comment from National Center for Transgender Equality Executive Director Mara Keisling in the People article (which didn't directly discuss Beatie), the organization has been silent on the topic, even as it prepares for one of its largest activities of the year.
NCTE is holding its congressional lobby days next week. A top priority is to educate members of Congress and their staff about the critical need to include gender identity in the federal Employment Non-Discrimination Act. On its Web site, NCTE notes that members of Congress have stated that more education is needed in order to convince their colleagues to vote for a trans-inclusive ENDA. What is the group's strategy for combating the transphobic comments that are already out there regarding "the pregnant man"? Predictably, conservative pundits are ranting about "freaks" when talking about Beatie, which he sought to address in the People interview: "We don't need everyone to love us, but just because you're not like everyone else doesn't make you a freak."
In short, there needs to be a strategy to confront this reality and to elevate the discussion rather than hoping the media spotlight will fade. It will not. While Beatie may have had his 12 minutes of fame last week, you can expect follow-up stories when the baby is born and the couple is apparently planning to write a book.
The nation's leading LGBT organization, the Human Rights Campaign, has been just as silent as NCTE. But that's not surprising since HRC effectively neutered itself during the ENDA debacle last year when it reneged on its promise to support a trans-inclusive bill. As a result, many transgender people remain angry at the organization. Yet, ENDA is HRC's showcase piece of legislation, and HRC alone has the political clout to move it through Congress.
The only national group to issue a statement was the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, following Beatie's appearance on Oprah .
Beatie is not the first transman to have a baby, and he probably won't be the last. But he is the first in the new era of trans visibility. While the issue may be uncomfortable for the community, it cannot be ignored – not if we want legislation such as a trans-inclusive ENDA passed. Hemming and hawing when the subject is mentioned will do nothing to educate people about the real life needs of transgender people, the vast majority of whom do not seek the media spotlight.