In Labor of Love- is society ready for this pregnant husband, by Thomas Beatie, it states that the reproductive endocrinologist required the pregnant man and his wife to see the clinics psychologist to see if they “were fit to bring a child into this world”. Is this allowed? Today, couples of both different and the same sex raise families together. Thomas says, “ I will be my daughter’s father, and Nancy will be her mother”. If this is the case, wouldn’t the doctors get in trouble for discriminating?
After reading the readings on Thomas Beatie, what I found the strangest was, is it legal for doctors to deny to take a case because 'they and their nurses weren't comfortable with the patient' just because Beatie was legally a male giving birth? Isn't this gender discrimination and against the Doctors' ethical code?
I have two questions. First, in the passage Thomas Beatie used donor sperm to get himself pregnant. Then can I say his daughter Susan is not actually his daughter?? Since to some extent, the genetic information in the sperm is the donator's, which means Susan will resemble her parents less.
Second, at the end of the passage, Beatie said"I can't wait to be invited to her first tea party" but after this, a trace of shadow crosses his face. I am wondering what that trace of shadow will be about. Will it be Beatie's concern that his special identity will have influence on Susan's life and put Susan into an awkward situation?
I found it interesting that in these articles, Thomas Beatie was portrayed as a normal man who just happened to be pregnant. Yet, at the same time, they never failed to mention that Beatie was a former beauty pageant finalist who became a transgender male. I wonder, is this intentional? Did the writers do this because they looked down on Beatie's actions despite trying to sound nonjudgmental?
In the article, "He's Having a Baby" by Alex Tresniowski, I found Dr. Katherine Rachlin's expert opinion on the situation very interesting. She says, "this is a nine-month period in which he's lending his organs." I wonder, if it were possible, whether more males would be willing to carry the child for their families? Would that really be rearranging gender roles if the father and mother still carried out their regular duties after birth?
After reading the article, " the labor of love" by Thomas Beatie I cam up with many questions in regards to transgender. One in specific is when it was brought up that doctor's " would discriminate against us, turning us away do to religious beliefs." my question is what gives docotr's the right to say such a thing? Isn't this illegal?
With all the readings on pregnant men, I automatically thought of this movie. Everyone's favorite Senator, Arnold Schwarzenegger, playing a pregnant man in "Junior."
The second paragraph of Alex Tresniowski's "He's Having a Baby" contains a fairly detailed description of Thomas Beatie. It includes facts about Thomas like that he is a black belt, can bench 225 lbs., drives a Ford truck, and looks like Mario Lopez. What do you think the significance of this description is?
On the article on the transgender, Thomas Beatie says "But to us we're just a husband and wife who are having a baby", "I want to make it easier for the next couple like us". He accepts this chaos with more positive attitudes than how everyone else do. Is it the purpose of media of serving the positive sides of the transgender couple or how would it affect to this generation in terms of forming the idea of inverted gender roles?
What I found most interesting about the Thomas Beatie reading assignment was the quote "when my brother found out about my loss, he said, 'it's a good thing that happened. who knows what kinds of monster it would have been'". This connects back to the readings about Portrait of a Monster, but more importantly it struck me as interesting because it shows that even now, people view men giving birth as something so unnatural that it results in monstrosity. Why is it that there is a consistent reference to men birthing monsters and creatures? Christian Dixon
I though of a question and it is that if beatie did a surgery to become a man and took testosterone and hormones that make her look like a man, so is all that going to afect the baby inside him?
The article focuses on the relative normality of the couple; however any child born into an atypical family is sure to be judged by neighbors and peers, let alone one whose story is globally known. With the publicized birth, how will Susan relate to her classmates? Will the structure of her family, or the publics knowledge of it, affect her personal development?
After reading Thomas Beatie's stories, I have to say that I am impressed with their perseverance. Facing discrimination from the society, several health care professional, and even their own friends and family. I suppose from his point of view is that he was pregnant, but it did not make him any less of a man. That's probably why it is described that he drives Ford truck, and is able to bench 225 lbs. However, will Susan, their daughter be okay? She is 3 now, but when she gets older,will her parents eventually tell her their condition? Nowadays, surely people already know about Susan. How will she handle her family situation once she starts school? It is inevitable that people will talk about her, or might pick on her. I wonder how Thomas and Nancy will make sure that Susan grows up in happy childhood.
Was it right for the doctor to try and discriminate against Thomas despite the fact that his job was to protect and deliver babies especially if the carrier (this instance the father) was taking care of the fetus and not harming it but loving it?
Does a doctor have the right to choose his/her patient? If yes, does his justification to decline the patient have to be approved by any sort of higher authority?
What are the struggles that Thomas's child will have while growing up? Will she be discriminated against? WIll she still be considered a "monster" even though she's a normal, healthy child? Do you think Thomas really thought through everything before deciding to give birth to a child? Do you think he was being selfish?
What would happen if the Beatie family want to live abroad or one of Thomas' kids want to study abroad? As the legal system would be highly likely different, Thomas might not be considered as their father. What kind of consequence would this family have to deal with?
After reading the New York Times article on Thomas Beatie, I can’t help but think of effects this pregnancy will have on the child. Having just experienced the perils of school and how cruel certain kids can be, is it fair to a child who has no choice in the matter to be born into a situation where he will be ridiculed for his entire life?
One line that really struck me in the articles about Thomas Beatie was the line, "Having this baby doesn't make me less of a man." This was very interesting because it made me wonder if Thomas sees himself still as a man after having had a baby. What makes someone a man?
Also, it seems that Thomas is denying his "femaleness" by saying that he's a man, and that in no way is he a woman. This seems to be a very controversial line that could create a lot of tension within transgender communities.
I was wondering if Thomas Beatie despite having the lower of a woman could be declared as a man in his state, there would be other states who would require him to have his lower surgery done too. Does this mean his sex differs in different states?
In Labor of Love- is society ready for this pregnant husband, by Thomas Beatie, it states that the reproductive endocrinologist required the pregnant man and his wife to see the clinics psychologist to see if they “were fit to bring a child into this world”. Is this allowed? Today, couples of both different and the same sex raise families together. Thomas says, “ I will be my daughter’s father, and Nancy will be her mother”. If this is the case, wouldn’t the doctors get in trouble for discriminating?
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the readings on Thomas Beatie, what I found the strangest was, is it legal for doctors to deny to take a case because 'they and their nurses weren't comfortable with the patient' just because Beatie was legally a male giving birth? Isn't this gender discrimination and against the Doctors' ethical code?
ReplyDeletePrerna Agarwal
I have two questions.
ReplyDeleteFirst, in the passage Thomas Beatie used donor sperm to get himself pregnant. Then can I say his daughter Susan is not actually his daughter?? Since to some extent, the genetic information in the sperm is the donator's, which means Susan will resemble her parents less.
Second, at the end of the passage, Beatie said"I can't wait to be invited to her first tea party" but after this, a trace of shadow crosses his face. I am wondering what that trace of shadow will be about. Will it be Beatie's concern that his special identity will have influence on Susan's life and put Susan into an awkward situation?
I found it interesting that in these articles, Thomas Beatie was portrayed as a normal man who just happened to be pregnant. Yet, at the same time, they never failed to mention that Beatie was a former beauty pageant finalist who became a transgender male. I wonder, is this intentional? Did the writers do this because they looked down on Beatie's actions despite trying to sound nonjudgmental?
ReplyDeleteIn the article, "He's Having a Baby" by Alex Tresniowski, I found Dr. Katherine Rachlin's expert opinion on the situation very interesting. She says, "this is a nine-month period in which he's lending his organs." I wonder, if it were possible, whether more males would be willing to carry the child for their families? Would that really be rearranging gender roles if the father and mother still carried out their regular duties after birth?
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the article, " the labor of love" by Thomas Beatie I cam up with many questions in regards to transgender. One in specific is when it was brought up that doctor's " would discriminate against us, turning us away do to religious beliefs." my question is what gives docotr's the right to say such a thing? Isn't this illegal?
ReplyDeleteWith all the readings on pregnant men, I automatically thought of this movie. Everyone's favorite Senator, Arnold Schwarzenegger, playing a pregnant man in "Junior."
ReplyDeletehttp://mrcovers.com/tim/JuniorBunnyDojo.jpg
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2007/06_02/pregnantBBC_228x316.jpg
http://imgs.sfgate.com/c/pictures/2003/08/14/mn_junior.jpg
The second paragraph of Alex Tresniowski's "He's Having a Baby" contains a fairly detailed description of Thomas Beatie. It includes facts about Thomas like that he is a black belt, can bench 225 lbs., drives a Ford truck, and looks like Mario Lopez. What do you think the significance of this description is?
ReplyDeleteOn the article on the transgender, Thomas Beatie says "But to us we're just a husband and wife who are having a baby", "I want to make it easier for the next couple like us". He accepts this chaos with more positive attitudes than how everyone else do. Is it the purpose of media of serving the positive sides of the transgender couple or how would it affect to this generation in terms of forming the idea of inverted gender roles?
ReplyDeleteWhat I found most interesting about the Thomas Beatie reading assignment was the quote "when my brother found out about my loss, he said, 'it's a good thing that happened. who knows what kinds of monster it would have been'". This connects back to the readings about Portrait of a Monster, but more importantly it struck me as interesting because it shows that even now, people view men giving birth as something so unnatural that it results in monstrosity. Why is it that there is a consistent reference to men birthing monsters and creatures?
ReplyDeleteChristian Dixon
I though of a question and it is that if beatie did a surgery to become a man and took testosterone and hormones that make her look like a man, so is all that going to afect the baby inside him?
ReplyDeleteThe article focuses on the relative normality of the couple; however any child born into an atypical family is sure to be judged by neighbors and peers, let alone one whose story is globally known. With the publicized birth, how will Susan relate to her classmates? Will the structure of her family, or the publics knowledge of it, affect her personal development?
ReplyDeleteAfter reading Thomas Beatie's stories, I have to say that I am impressed with their perseverance. Facing discrimination from the society, several health care professional, and even their own friends and family. I suppose from his point of view is that he was pregnant, but it did not make him any less of a man. That's probably why it is described that he drives Ford truck, and is able to bench 225 lbs. However, will Susan, their daughter be okay? She is 3 now, but when she gets older,will her parents eventually tell her their condition? Nowadays, surely people already know about Susan. How will she handle her family situation once she starts school? It is inevitable that people will talk about her, or might pick on her. I wonder how Thomas and Nancy will make sure that Susan grows up in happy childhood.
ReplyDeleteIf you were the doctor in Thomas Beatie's story, would you have taken the case?
ReplyDeleteWas it right for the doctor to try and discriminate against Thomas despite the fact that his job was to protect and deliver babies especially if the carrier (this instance the father) was taking care of the fetus and not harming it but loving it?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteDoes a doctor have the right to choose his/her patient? If yes, does his justification to decline the patient have to be approved by any sort of higher authority?
ReplyDeleteWhat are the struggles that Thomas's child will have while growing up? Will she be discriminated against? WIll she still be considered a "monster" even though she's a normal, healthy child? Do you think Thomas really thought through everything before deciding to give birth to a child? Do you think he was being selfish?
ReplyDeleteWhat would happen if the Beatie family want to live abroad or one of Thomas' kids want to study abroad? As the legal system would be highly likely different, Thomas might not be considered as their father. What kind of consequence would this family have to deal with?
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the New York Times article on Thomas Beatie, I can’t help but think of effects this pregnancy will have on the child. Having just experienced the perils of school and how cruel certain kids can be, is it fair to a child who has no choice in the matter to be born into a situation where he will be ridiculed for his entire life?
ReplyDeleteOne line that really struck me in the articles about Thomas Beatie was the line, "Having this baby doesn't make me less of a man." This was very interesting because it made me wonder if Thomas sees himself still as a man after having had a baby. What makes someone a man?
ReplyDeleteAlso, it seems that Thomas is denying his "femaleness" by saying that he's a man, and that in no way is he a woman. This seems to be a very controversial line that could create a lot of tension within transgender communities.
- Merry Chin
I was wondering if Thomas Beatie despite having the lower of a woman could be declared as a man in his state, there would be other states who would require him to have his lower surgery done too. Does this mean his sex differs in different states?
ReplyDelete