'Pregnant man' gives birth to daughter
Thomas Beatie reportedly had a baby girl Sunday at an Oregon hospital
MSNBC contributors
updated 4:40 p.m. ET July 3, 2008
Thomas Beatie, the transgendered man who rose to national attention when he became pregnant, gave birth June 29 to a girl, People magazine and ABC News reported. He and his daughter are doing well, he told People.
Beatie grew up in Hawaii as a girl but later legally changed to a male identity, took hormone shots and had his breasts surgically removed, but kept his female reproductive organs.
A spokesperson from St. Charles Medical Center in Bend, Ore., where Beatie reportedly gave birth said she could "neither confirm nor deny the presence of that patient at our facility.
Beatie told People that despite published reports, the baby was not born via Caesarean section, but did not give any other information about the birth.
His wife Nancy, 46, was unable to bear children since she'd had a hysterectomy. Beatie became pregnant using donor sperm and artificial insemination.
"I opted not to do anything with my reproductive organs because I wanted to have a child one day," he told Oprah Winfrey during an April interview. Nancy said she inseminated him with a syringe using sperm purchased from a bank.
The couple live in Bend, Ore., and Nancy has two adult children.
source : http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25519830/?GT1=43001
VOCABULARY LIST :
transgender - appearing as, wishing to be considered as, or having undergone surgery to become a member of the opposite sex.
hysterectomy - the surgical removal of all or part of the uterus ( Inverted-pear-shaped organ of the female reproductive system )
artificial insemination - technique involving the artificial injection of sperm-containing semen from a male into a female to cause pregnancy
DISCUSSION POINTS :
1. What was your reaction when you read the article? Did you believe it? Why or why not?
2. What can you say about gay marriage? ? Is it generally accepted in your country?
3. Are all couples who can have children qualified to be parents? ? Explain your answer.
4. Gay couples can be good parents. Do you agree or disagree?
5. If someone grows up with gay parents, how do you think it will affect his/her life and personality?