In a significant milestone, Glamour magazine has featured a pregnant trans man on its cover during this year’s Pride Month. It is about time we include transgender men and non-binary people in conversations around pregnancy and abortion rights.
Glamour magazine features pregnant trans man on its cover
In June 2023, Glamour magazine decided to feature Logan Brown, a pregnant transgender man, on its cover. While the magazine is primarily marketed towards women, Glamour stated that this special Pride issue is a celebration of the ‘allyship that exists between women (cisgender or not) and transgender people through our shared experiences’. What an incredible milestone.
Logan Brown is an author and a father. He talked about his journey as a pregnant man in his blog Up The Duff Man. Brown received hateful comments, falsely stating that men cannot get pregnant. However, he is here to make one thing clear: ‘I’m a pregnant trans man and I do exist. No matter what anyone says, I am literally living proof’.
Brown spoke to Glamour about his experience giving birth to his daughter Nova and navigating pregnancy through the NHS as a trans man. He expressed difficulties and instances of misgendering that occurred within healthcare. Training on LGBTQ+ issues should be mandatory for healthcare professionals, Brown told Glamour. ‘It would just be nice for [LGBTQIA+ people] to be more involved and for me to not be referred to as a woman’.
While he battled with gender dysphoria because of his pregnancy, he came to the point where he can be confident about being a pregnant man. He is ‘proud to be trans’. We cannot wait to hear more about Logan Brown’s journey with his partner and their daughter. As Brown stated, ‘my daughter will be able to grow up knowing that she’ll always be loved and accepted for whoever she is’. There is nothing more beautiful than loving and supportive parents.
Make sure to pre-order Logan Brown’s In My Daddy’s Belly (The Miracle of Male Birth) NOW.
Yes, pregnant trans men and non-binary people exist.
Trans men and non-binary people are often excluded from mainstream conversations around pregnancy, fertility, abortion and IVF. Even though some trans people are directly impacted by laws around abortion, many conservatives still dismiss their existence.
Just like cis women, trans men and non-binary people can get pregnant, have fertility issues and require access to IVF (in vitro fertilisation) services. Taking hormones, such as testosterone can cause infertility. If you wish to have a child of your own, consider freezing your eggs before starting hormone therapy.
However, not all trans men and non-binary people who go through gender affirming healthcare treatment are infertile. Although many trans people choose to have a hysterectomy, surgically removing their uterus, some trans individuals choose not to and still wish to get pregnant one day.
This personal decision does not invalidate anyone’s gender identity. Trans men are still men whether or not they have a uterus or choose to carry a child. In the case of an unwanted pregnancy, trans men and non-binary people should also have the right and equal access to abortions.
Abortion rights in the US
In June 2022, the US supreme court overturned abortion rights in all 50 states. The ruling stated that US citizens no longer have the constitutional right to abortions in the country. Several US states have now officially banned abortions with likely more states to follow. If you want to keep track of all states and their laws regarding abortion, visit The New York Times website.
One of the most upsetting aspects of this decision was the exclusion of trans and non-binary people in the conversation around abortion even though they too can get pregnant. Finding a healthcare professional or clinic who is trans friendly, let alone competent enough to provide safe and accessible abortions to trans people is already hard enough. However, stripping trans, as well as cis people from this basic right is simply inhumane. Abortion bans impact trans men and non-binary people and they need to be included in these conversations.
Trans-inclusive and gender neutral language
Many conservatives questioned whether gender neutral language should be used when discussing abortion rights. Instead of coming together, trans men and non-binary people are met with division and exclusion. Using words and phrases such as ‘pregnant people’, ‘people who menstruate’, ‘people with uteruses’, does not invalidate women’s experiences.
We can recognise that abortion rights affect primarily women while maintaining trans-inclusive language. One does not erase the other. Patriarchal systems discriminate against trans and non-binary people too. Believing abortion to be a women-only issue is simply false and transphobic.
With a significant number of young people identifying as transgender and non-binary, it is all the more important to ensure that discussions around abortion rights and pregnancy are trans-inclusive. Trans people can get pregnant and also need access to safe abortions.
According to the 2015 US Transgender Survey, trans people are more likely to live in poverty. Therefore, making it harder for them to travel in order to have safe abortions. In addition, clinics which provide abortions might also discriminate against transgender patients, leaving this marginalised group with even less choices when trying to safely access abortions in the US.
We hope that the US supreme court restores abortion rights nationwide after the House voted in favour of it. Abortions should be accessible to all. Just as importantly, we need more trans-inclusive and gender neutral language when talking about pregnancy. Men and non-binary people CAN get pregnant and deserve to be recognised as such.