Transgender man to challenge divorce ruling

A transgender Arizona man, whose divorce request was rejected says he will continue to challenge the divorce ruling.

Pregnant transgender Thomas Beatie

Thomas Beatie was born a woman and later underwent a double-mastectomy, and began testosterone hormone therapy and psychological treatment to become a man, but he retained female reproductive organs and gave birth to three children. He wanted the three children to whom he gave birth to know their parents’ marriage was legitimate.

Last Friday, Maricopa County Family Court Judge Douglas Gerlach ruled that Arizona’s ban on equal marriage prevents Thomas Beatie’s nine-year marriage from being recognised as valid.
Thomas Beatie said a judge’s decision last week to reject his divorce request was a swipe against his identity and could cause problems for him down the road if he decided to remarry.

He also said the ruling underscored his belief that Arizona was unaccepting of transgender people.

“This is not Beatie versus Beatie,” Thomas Beatie said as he spoke to reporters at his attorney’s office. “This is the state of Arizona versus transgender people, human reproductive rights and fairness under law.”

Beatie, plans to appeal against the ruling. He married his partner, Nancy, in 2003 in Honolulu and became pregnant because Nancy was unable to have children.

Beatie conceived with donated sperm. The couple eventually moved to Arizona.