Judge Delays Divorce Proceedings of 'Pregnant Man'
A Phoenix judge has delayed ruling on the divorce involving a transgender man, more widely known as "pregnant man."
Thomas Beatie – who was born a woman but had a sex change – has filed for divorce from wife Nancy Beatie in Arizona. The couple was married in Hawaii but now reside in Arizona.
"I'm going through a divorce with Nancy and at the 11th hour, the judge is now questioning whether or not this case is within jurisdiction, whether or not he wants to even grant us a divorce," Beatie told Dr. Drew on HLN Wednesday.
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Beatie was legally recognized as a man in 2002 after going through a mastectomy, hormone treatment and a sex change operation. He made headlines in 2008 when he became pregnant through artificial insemination. He and his wife Nancy, who was infertile, now have three children.
Beatie said on HLN that sterilization was not required for him to be legally recognized as a man. His driver's license, social security, passport and birth certificate all recognize him as male, he stated.
He announced earlier this year that he was separating from Nancy.
Now, he's waiting for the judge to grant their divorce.
"He is an Arizona resident. He deserves to be allowed to get his divorce in Arizona," Beatie's attorney, Michael Cantor, said on HLN.
According to Cantor, the judge wants more information to determine if Beatie's marriage is valid. Some believe the judge at Maricopa Superior Court is delaying the divorce proceedings because he doesn't really view Beatie as a man. And Arizona does not recognize same-sex marriage.
When asked why not get a divorce in Hawaii where they were married, the attorney said the process would take at least five months and Beatie would then be away from his three children for that long. And Nancy Beatie wouldn't allow him to move to Hawaii with the kids temporarily either, Cantor added.
Thomas Beatie has sole legal custody of the children but Nancy is allowed supervised parenting time.
Notably, Thomas Beatie said on HLN that he already has a girlfriend and is waiting for his divorce so they can get married.
A ruling is expected after August.
