An American woman who underwent hormone treatment to become a 'man', but left her reproductive organs intact, has given birth to a child.
'Evan' Hempel, 35, first began identifying as transgender at the age of 19 and started taking hormones in 2003 to increase testosterone and lower oestrogen levels.
However, knowing that she had always wanted to have a baby, she decided not to undergo gender reassignment surgery. After several years of monitoring hormones, an unsuccessful attempt, and a cost of $12,000, she became pregnant via a sperm donor and is now raising a son with her female partner.
'Stretching cultural perceptions of gender norms'
TIME magazine, which originally reported the story, commented that although 'Evan' is not the first transgender 'man' to give birth, these kinds of cases would further stretch "cultural perceptions of gender norms".
"Pregnancies like Evan's—and the many that are likely to follow—will stretch our cultural perceptions of gender norms even further. Americans are just starting to open up to the idea that you may be born into a female body, but believe that you are really a man. But what if you are born into a female body, know you are a man and still want to participate in the traditionally exclusive rite of womanhood? What kind of man are you then?"
What will the child's future be?
Michael Cook, writing on the MercatorNet website, highlighted TIME magazine's silence on how the child will be affected.
"Unlike most birth narratives with photos of nursing mothers, [the baby] is not the centre of the story. He is just his mother's (soon to be father's) precious toy. Growing up as the son of a woman who poses as a man, whose partner is a lesbian, will be very difficult."
He continued: "What society cannot do is misplace its compassion. The victim of this story is not a misunderstood woman who thinks she is a man. It is the baby at her breast. His biological father is an anonymous sperm donor. His mother looks like a man; his mother's partner is biologically unrelated. With that past, what will his future be?"
'Agenda to undermine status of the family'
Speaking to Talk2Me radio this week, Christian Concern's Director of Islamic Affairs, Tim Dieppe, said this story shows that "despite [Evan's] protestations about her body in some ways, she is still a woman… she is still a woman in a woman's body."
He said the baby would grow up in a "very confused household with a very confused identity of what is gender".
"This shows the agenda of sexualisation and of deliberately trying to undermine the status of the family, and undermine the fact that we are created with a gender," he continued. "People are trying to rebel against that and change that, and all it's causing is confusion."
The 'New Normal'
Christian Concern will be hosting a conference this coming November called 'The 'New Normal'', which will equip you to challenge and engage with the increasing sexuality and gender confusion at home, in schools and in society.
A Christian worldview will provide the framework for the day. Visit The 'New Normal' Eventbrite page for more details, and the day's programme.
More details to follow in the coming weeks.
A biblical response to gender dysphoria
To help you or your church community to better understand and engage with issues of gender identity, the fellowship group Affinity has produced a comprehensive overview of the influence of gender theory, the LGBT movement and transgenderism.
This resource explains the worldview that contributes to this agenda, its outworking in Britain and the rest of society, and finally a biblical response that is compassionate and robust.
Related Links:
My Brother's Pregnancy and the Making of a New American Family (TIME)
The 'New Normal' (Eventbrite)
The bearded lady and her baby (MercatorNet)
Are we all 'omnigender' now? (Affinity)