Letter of the Week
In reaction now to the news about Thomas Beatie, the pregnant man in Bend, I offer some thoughts that have come out of conversations I’ve had over the last few weeks.
It doesn’t matter how you feel about the issues of gender, sexuality and fertility, but I respect the Beaties’ courage to stand up and put themselves and their lives in the spotlight. People have wondered why they are doing it. Why? Because! Because nothing will ever change, wrongs will not be righted, until someone has the courage to be out there in the open and help clear the way for others.
Thomas is not the first pregnant man in the US, but he and his family are the first that have been willing to go public. Every movement, every social change has had at its forefront someone that was willing to take a stand. Someone who stood up when they “should” have stayed hidden and shut up. Someone who was willing to face the masses and begin the process of change. This is what the Beaties are doing.
What more can anyone ask than to be loved and wanted? Their child is so obviously wanted and will be so loved. What a lucky child. That’s more than a lot of children can say.
So when you hear about the Beatie family, I challenge you to think about the legacy you want to leave for the next generation. I know what I want mine to be: acceptance, peace and a genuine happiness for everyone, no matter their gender, sexuality, race or religion. What legacy do you want to leave?
Chandra van Eijnsbergen
HDC Board Member and compassionate evolving human.
This article appears in Apr 17-23, 2008.
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Personaly i think it’s just flat out sick.. I’m soprry but i cant support that in any way; men should be men, and women be women, not any of these sex changes should be occuring in the first place…
What joy to bring a human life into this world. After watching Oprah, I know that this child will have a wonderful family. I think the Beatie family should have the love and support of the entire Central Oregon community because, after all, we take care of each other like few other places on Earth.
Hey Mike G:
Have you looked under any bridges, in culverts or along the railroad tracks lately? There’s dozens of people squatting in camps on private land from Bend to Redmond. I guess it’s more “hip” to be concerned with a confused gender twisted freak (who will make a uterusload of money from his/her/its situation selling the story to “open minded” simps like you)than help those who sleep outside or in their cars year round.
Or is it all “relative?”
Wake up and smell the latte
This is not a “pregnant man”… This is a pregnant woman. A man does not have a vagina, ovaries, or any of the other parts required to gestate human babies. Perhaps I’m wrong??? considering how logic gets twisted around nowadays to fit any social or political cause, but last I checked, a man has a penis, and a woman has a vagina…
All I see here is a publicity hungry, pregnant, hairy woman…
Half the populace of the freaking planet can get pregnant already, and do so more than I would prefer. So, I’ll leave that job to the ladies. They seem to be really good at it, as I can attest from personal experience.
What the hell, call me old fashioned, but the concept makes me want to knock back a tall one and then slap the shit out of somebody.
I was annoyed when news reports mentioned Bend as being “rural” and not necessiarly accepting of LGBTQ. I remembered Bend having the first non-discrimination bill in Oregon. But, reading these comments makes me think twice about returning to Bend after my education.
This thread has officially entered the woodshed. Is this the greatest collection of hatred and suspicion you have ever read. I love all of the second guessing and projecting of base motives. Now, if we are to believe it, if you get called up to go on Oprah because of your unique circumstances you’re a gold digger – well let me tell you – if that’s your line you are going to the WOODSHED. Pull them pants down, it’ll only hurt a lot. Ouch – I’m a bigot in the woodshed. Ouch! Did I really say someone got pregnant so they could go on Oprah. Ouch! Please don’t leave me in the wood shed. Sorry but that where you let the thread lead you!
Anyone with real courage these days is in the mid-East. Not hiding in Bend. Whining about Mt Bachelor, traffic, growth, detination resorts, or their neighbors.
Not to worry. Because of the cowardice rampant in this country, the military had to lower their induction standards. Good news is, The Source fans can now get in.
Yes, thankyou, I am a 5 point vet. 1970-1974 Your turn.
We all know men can’t have babies so what is all this fuse about!!!!
Like one writer said, the freak show is about opportunists. They pose as man and wife when they’re just two lesbians, with one wanting to dress and act like a man–and of course, as a husband and a father too.
“Thomas” has all the DNA of a woman because she is a woman, plain and simple. The poor baby doesn’t stand a chance of any kind of a normal life. Maybe one of her “mommies” will consider the child rather than themselves, and would consider a relative or adoptive couple to give the innocent child a home.
Hello Kay –
Look around you – you have been transported to the woodshed! Your contribution of continuing hate after all of the other haters has lead you here and it’s time your bottom received the hard switching you deserve. “The poor baby doesn’t stand a chance of a normal life” – are you talking about a life in the woodshed with you and your hating ilk? Is that the sound of two hands clapping or the wood shed paddle slapping your behind. Ouch! Is that normal? I don’t think so. Welcome to the woodshed. It’s starting to get crowded in here again.
The main point is that a baby was wanted and it is a female giving birth to a wanted baby! There are enough single mothers out here doing a great job, even in our “rural” central Oregon, which if you haven’t noticed is not so “rural” anymore. Nobody said life was fair, in some instances there are numbers of “no daddy” families. Why can’t a family have 2 loving mom’s? I hope that they will find the “fatherly” ways in a community that can be very giving. Yet may also be very harsh. Good luck to them, maybe others can help the people living on the tracks have a better life, than to worry about an adorable baby being born in a loving household.