CatersA transgender man who was told he couldn’t get pregnant, has now given birth to a beautiful baby boy.
28-year-old Wyley Simpson, from Texas, had been undergoing testosterone therapy and hadn’t experienced a menstrual period for some time when he found out he was pregnant in February 2018.
The pregnancy came as somewhat of a surprise to Wyley and his fiancé, Stephen Gaeth, 28, and they initially did not feel ready for fatherhood.
However, Wyley proceeded with his pregnancy, often having to deal with unkind comments and judgement from strangers.
CatersWyley said:
I was nervous. I was very emotional, I started crying. I didn’t know what to do.
I was already worried as this was my first pregnancy.
But I was also nervous because I had to deal with a lot of stigma behind me being a pregnant man.
Alongside receiving rude comments from other people, the pregnancy took a lot for me emotionally.
Having gone through the transitioning process since I was 21 years old, having a physical baby bump was something so feminine that it messed with my head.
But it was all worth it to have Rowan and to become a father – I wouldn’t have changed a thing.
CatersWyley, who still has female reproductive organs, gave birth to Rowan, through an emergency C-section in September 2018. Six months on, he and Stephen are enjoying their new family life.
Speaking of the first few month with his son, Wyley said:
Once my physical bump had disappeared and I was able to take my hormones again, I felt good about everything.
Myself and Stephan suddenly turned into a gay couple with a baby, as opposed to me being a pregnant man.
And Rowan is amazing, he made all of the mental and physical pain completely worth it.
Now myself and Stephan are just revelling in fatherhood and can’t wait to continue our journey as a family.
Going forward, Wyley does not intend to carry another child, and hopes to undergo a full transition at some point in the future:
I am looking to fully transition in the future, so the likelihood of having another child naturally is unlikely.
It was a great feeling to be able to carry Rowan, feeling him kick and going to baby scans, but for me as a person, it isn’t something I can continue to do.
I don’t see myself as any less of a man because of what happened, but I just do not identify in such a feminine way as to be pregnant – so it won’t be happening again.
But I am glad that I got to go through something as amazing and natural as birthing my own child, it’s definitely made mine and Rowan’s bond so much closer.
Congratulations to Wyley and Stephen on the birth of their beautiful son!
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues, and want to speak to someone in confidence contact Mindline Trans+ on 0300 330 5468. The line is open Mondays and Fridays, 8 pm to midnight and is run by trans volunteers.
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Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.