Transgendered Bend man claims pregnancy

Mar 26,2008 00:00 by UPI

BEND, Ore. -- An Oregon man who had been a woman before undergoing a sex change claims to be expecting a child.

In an article in The Advocate, Thomas Beatie said he kept his female reproductive organs, although he had surgery to reconstruct his breasts and testosterone therapy. He said he decided to have a child because his wife is unable to conceive and stopped the testosterone.

Thomas Beatie - photo courtesy The Advocate

Beatie formerly lived in Hawaii. As Tracy LaGondino, he owned a T-shirt design shop in Honolulu, KITV reported.

Some of Beatie's neighbors say they believe the pregnancy is a hoax. The photograph in The Advocate showing what appears to be a visibly pregnant man is evidence to the contrary, they say.

"Quite frankly, I think it's a hoax. I saw him a few days ago and he didn't look like that," said neighbor Ron Schlieper. "He was walking down the street with who I thought was his wife, Nancy, and I don't recall seeing a belly if that was a month ago. He would have been much bigger just a few days ago."

In his article, Beatie said he plans to be his daughter's father in terms of family role, while his wife will be the mother.