He was the first man in the world to give birth – 16 years later, he looks like this
It was an extraordinary moment 16 years ago when Thomas Beatie made history as the world’s first man to experience pregnancy.
Born female, Thomas transitioned to identify as a transgender man. The world took notice when he became a parent, giving birth to his first daughter, Susan.
This milestone wasn’t an easy journey for Thomas, as he faced threats from those who disapproved of a man giving birth.
Despite the challenges, Thomas upheld his identity and today, he and his family have grown to include two sons alongside Susan.
With a total of three kids, Thomas Beatie’s story keeps evolving….
Thomas was born as Tracy Lehuanani LaGondino in 1974 in Hawaii. He took a transformative path that gained worldwide attention. At just ten, Thomas began identifying as a boy and started testosterone therapy at 23.
In his youth, Thomas was ambitious, evident in his achievements. He pursued modeling and reached the finals of the Miss Hawaii Teen USA contest. His interest in martial arts saw him excel in karate and Taekwondo, winning a junior championship in the 1992 Aloha State Games.
By 2002, Thomas had surgery to remove his breasts and legally updated his gender to male, while keeping his female reproductive organs. This choice was crucial for him to carry a pregnancy later.
In a surprising move in 2006, he paused his testosterone therapy, aiming to conceive. Thomas courageously decided to carry the child himself due to fertility struggles with his then-wife Nancy.
The world caught a glimpse of Thomas with a prominent pregnant belly in 2008, and he was dubbed “the pregnant man” as his story gained international attention.
The journey wasn’t smooth; he faced hate mails and threats even from media outlets.
“Doctors have refused to treat us, citing their beliefs, and health workers ignored my male identity or failed to acknowledge Nancy as my wife. We’ve felt the sting of ridicule and lack of support,” Thomas mentioned.
In a demanding 48-hour labor, Susan was born healthy and happy. Thomas, choosing a natural birth, set a precedent as the first legally male individual to give birth within a marriage to a woman.
Over five years without taking testosterone, Thomas experienced more pregnancies, one resulting in ectopic pregnancy. He and Nancy raised Susan, Austin, and Jensen as a family with strong integral values.
Thomas’s narrative gained significant exposure during an interview on the Oprah Winfrey Show in April 2008. With an open discussion, he argued in favor of reproductive rights, regardless of gender.
“Having a child is a human desire, not limited by gender,” he asserted during the interview.
These declarations highlighted his radical autonomy and challenged traditional notions of gender and parenthood.
In 2016, Thomas married his new partner Amber, after a prolonged separation from Nancy. Thomas and Amber, familiar since 2012, eventually settled in Oregon with Susan, Austin, Jensen, and Amber’s grandchild Lily.
About his lively household, Thomas shared, “With kids ranging from ages 3 to 7, it can get noisy, but we embrace it,” during a chat with Daily Mail.
Sixteen years since his public revelation, Thomas occasionally appears on social platforms and media feeds.
Recently, in an interview with USA Today, he shared his life updates, working as a stockbroker in Phoenix. He and Amber continue their lives quietly, alongside modest acting gigs and public speaking appearances.
His older kids share their time between his and their mother’s home, located nearby.
Looking back on the intensity that accompanied his story years ago, Thomas reflects on its enduring influence.
With time, now in his 50s, Thomas remarks, “Back then, there were no well-known transgender men; it was an eye-opening time before anyone even knew it was possible. Seeing the broader context of fertility for trans individuals opened many eyes.”
“Everything was quite a whirlwind,” he said. “But I have no regrets,” Thomas concluded.
