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"Pregnant Man" Beattie Loves the Limelight

I am becoming increasingly convinced that Thomas Beattie (better known as the “pregnant man”) is a bit of a publicity whore. This isn’t necessarily a problem, so long as the publicity he seeks does more good than harm for the transgender community—and for his daughter, born on June 29.

In the latest Beattie media frenzy, September Films, a London firm, has beat out four other production companies in winning the rights to make a documentary telling Beattie’s story. The hourlong film will air on Channel 4, with rights to the film licensed globally. The Discovery Channel is currently seeking exclusive U.S. rights.

With his Oprah appearance, his memoir-in-progress (including tales of participating in beauty pageants in his youth), and now this film, Beattie seems keen on maintaining a large spot in the limelight. This is certainly not unusual in these days of reality TV and "It Happened to Me" bestsellers, but it becomes a bit more complicated when there is a child involved. I just hope the widespread publicity of Beattie’s unusual situation helps establish more tolerance for transgender folks and their children, not more hatred.

Photo: livenews.com 


Comments

 

Sherry said:

Gee?  You think?  Wouldn't the politically correct term be "publicity gigolo" though?

July 12, 2008 6:51 AM

About Hannah Tennant-Moore

Hannah Tennant-Moore is a Brooklyn-based freelance writer whose work has appeared or is forthcoming in The Gay and Lesbian Review Worldwide, The Sun, Tricycle, Turning Wheel (as the winner of the Young Writers Award), Best Buddhist Writing, and elsewhere. Hannah is at work on a book of essays about dating in Generation Y and is seeking a publisher for her children’s book, Josephine’s River.

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