Kaci Sullivan, a transgender man, has given birth twice — once while presenting as a woman, and now again as a man. As of now, Sullivan is being touted as the first person to give birth both as a man and as a woman, which is a pretty big deal, showing the journey to parenthood truly looks different for everyone.
When Sullivan gave birth the first time five years ago, he was already questioning his gender identity, saying in the Daily Mail that he felt so alone:
I prayed to connect with womanhood, to identify with what was happening to my body, but I couldn’t. I felt so hopeless and lost. I wanted to die. I fell into such a dark place and I was terrified to bring a baby into that darkness with me.
After coming out to his then-husband, he began his transition, and later met his current partner, Steven, with whom he gave birth to his second child, Phoenix, this November. Sullivan explained how his second pregnancy was a much better experience than his first, since he was free to present as himself — as a man. He did, however, face prejudice from strangers and health care professionals alike:
They will try and find our safe space and violate it with their opinions, but they are jerks. I don’t waste my time or energy by giving them anything in return.
Because I don’t see pregnancy as inherently feminine, and because I don’t subscribe to make-believe gender roles, I wasn’t threatened by the idea of pregnancy. It didn’t make me feel any less masculine.
In order to raise awareness about transgender families having children, Sullivan has been documenting his pregnancy on YouTube — which is absolutely amazing to watch and much-needed right now.
Check out his video welcoming his second child below:
