A transgender man who gave birth to a baby boy says being pregnant cemented their bond, but admits he wouldn’t do it again after receiving ‘daily abuse and judgement’ from strangers.
Wyley Simpson, 28, who lives in Texas with fiancé, Stephen Gaeth, 28, began transitioning to male from female at the age of 21.
Despite taking testosterone therapy and being told by doctors that he could not fall pregnant as he had stopped having periods, the couple discovered he was pregnant in February 2018.
Although they initially did not feel ready to become parents, Wyley carried through with his pregnancy – while battling abuse and judgement from strangers on a daily basis.
In September 2018, Wyley gave birth to their 7lb 5oz son, Rowan, via emergency C-section, and admits all of the comments were worth it- but he wouldn’t go through it again.
The couple have just celebrated their son reaching the six-month mark, and have revealed what pregnant life and parenthood is like.
Wyley Simpson, 28, began transitioning to male from female at the age of 21 but, despite taking testosterone therapy, the couple discovered he was pregnant in February 2018
Transgender man’s pregnancy journey with baby ‘he’d never have’
Wyley, who still has a vagina and female reproductive organs, gave birth by caesarean section six months ago after an emotionally draining pregnancy.
Speaking about the pregnancy, he said: ‘It’s not every day that someone sees a pregnant man walking down the road, so we received a fair amount of abuse.
‘I would be told that I’ll never be a man, “men don’t carry babies” and everyone called me “it”.’
Wyley, who already had surgery to remove his female breasts meaning he could not breastfeed, intends to make the full transition in the future.
Pictured: Wyley Simpson, with his fiance Stephan Gaeth, both 28, and their newborn son Rowan, who Wyley delivered via emergency c-section
Wyley is seen growing up as a girl named Whitney during his childhood, before he started transitioning aged 20, taking testosterone and having his breasts removed
Wyley started testosterone in 2012 and got top (breast) surgery in 2013 – however, he has yet to have bottom surgery, an operation to create a penis.
Stephan says they questioned whether Wyley could get pregnant, but they both believed he couldn’t conceive a child because he was taking testosterone.
Wyley had previously revealed in an interview with KENS5 that he had not had a menstrual cycle ‘in years’ when he met Stephan.
‘We talked about testosterone and what I had been told by his doctors and what we had believed to be truth. Turns out, that wasn’t truth,’ he said.
Wyley found out he was pregnant at 11 weeks after struggling with morning sickness.
‘I was nervous. I was very emotional, I started crying. I didn’t know what to do,’ he recalled of his surprise pregnancy.
In September 2018, Wyley gave birth to their 7lb 5oz son, Rowan, via emergency C-section, and admits all of the comments were worth it- but he wouldn’t go through it again
Pictured: Wyley Simpson seen when he started taking testosterone in 2012, after which he stopped having periods and was told he could not get pregnant
Speaking about the journey that followed, he said: ‘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.’
Despite being grateful that he could carry his own child, Wyley explains that he was only able to feel comfortable about becoming a father once Rowan was born.
Since giving birth and returning to hormone therapy, he has settled into family life.
He said: ‘Once my physical bump had disappeared and I was able to take my hormones again, I felt good about everything.
Wyley, seen posing with his baby bump at eight months pregnant, already had surgery to remove his female breasts meaning he could not breastfeed, intends to make the full transition in the future.
Pictured: Wyley in April 2017 before he fell pregnant with Rowan, during his transition. He says the pregnancy made him feel feminine but he’s glad he experienced the bond it created
‘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.’
But despite enjoying being a father now, Wyley says he won’t carry a child again.
He said: ‘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.’
Pictured: The 36-week scan of Wyleys son, Rowan. The pregnancy came as a surprise as he was told he could not fall pregnant during his transition
Pictured: Wyley Simpson, 28, with his now six-month-old son Rowan, who he gave birth to in September 2018