Pregnant transman Thomas Beatie speaks on Oprah

Thomas Beatie, the pregnant man from Bend, OR, spoke on the Oprah Winfrey show yesterday. Following the initial article about the transgender pregnancy in The Advocate, Beattie and his wife didn’t do any interviews with local or national media — and now we know why. They formed an agreement with Oprah and People Magazine to control the message themselves.

Didn’t get a chance to see the show yesterday? Go to Oprah’s website for more information about the interview and for some short clips. Click here for photos and a clip from the show on Huffington Post. Beatie came across very genuine and very compelling in his interview with Oprah, who remarked a couple times on his seeming nervousness. Initially, I felt a little put off by the family’s approach to telling their story in such a celebrity-inducing fashion by going on Oprah and doing a spread on People Magazine. It seems commercial and as though they’re making money off of their story.

Oprah asked Beatie about why he chose to come forward in such a public way, and I have to respect his answer. He said that he and his wife wanted to tell their story first, rather than let other interests portray their experience for them. Going on Oprah isn’t something that appeals to me, but I can see how she brings such a personal and meaningful message to the world. I’m still a little curious about the People article, which is due for release on April 4. Mr. Beatie’s central statement on Oprah was this, “I feel it’s not a male or female desire to have a child. It’s a human need. I’m a person and I have the right to have a biological child.”

Right on.