Wyley Simpson, a 28-year-old transgender man from Texas, discovered he was pregnant in February 2018. The news came as a surprise, since he had been undergoing hormone therapy for six years. While taking testosterone, his body experienced a slew of changes, and doctors said he would be unable to get knocked up because he stopped getting periods.
But as Jeff Goldblum's character said in Jurassic Park, "Life finds a way." Initially, Wyley and his fiancé, 28-year-old Stephan Gaeth, didn't feel ready to become parents. But then again, who does? Wyley decided to carry out the pregnancy, which meant he had to stop taking hormones for nine months. He also had to endure verbal abuse from strangers, who judged him on sight as a pregnant transgender man.
"I was nervous," Wyley recalled. "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," he continued. "But it was all worth it to have Rowan and to become a father – I wouldn’t have changed a thing."
Wyley had top surgery in 2013, removing his breasts, but still has female reproductive organs. He intends to make a full transition in the future. Last September, he gave birth to a healthy 7lb 5oz baby boy named Rowan through emergency C-section. Six months later, the couple is celebrating their parenthood and return to normalcy following the pregnancy.
"Once my physical bump had disappeared and I was able to take my hormones again, I felt good about everything," said Wyley. "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," he added. "Now myself and Stephan are just reveling in fatherhood and can’t wait to continue our journey as a family."
Moving forward, the 28-year-old does not plan on carrying another child, but is thankful for the incredible experience of giving birth to Rowan. Congratulations, Wyley and Stephen!
