Societal expectations often dictate rigid gender roles. One experience in particular is the journey of pregnancy. The experience has often been viewed as one exclusive to cisgender women. However, there is a subset of birthing people who are often overlooked: the transgender community.
Kayden Coleman, a content creator, trans advocate and transgender man has shattered these stereotypes by carrying not just one, but two pregnancies to term. His pregnancy journeys have been deeply personal. Through the experience Coleman defied misconceptions and embraced his identity as a trans man along the way. He proves that parenthood is not confined to traditional gender norms, but rather, is a multifaceted experience that transcends societal expectations.
Kayden Coleman’s Transgender Pregnancy Journey
For Coleman, the decision to embark on the journey of pregnancy was not planned.
“I didn’t make a conscious decision to carry my children,” he shared. “Both were surprises. With my eldest daughter, I found out I was pregnant when I was 5.5 months along. With my youngest, I found out when I was 7 weeks.”
Despite the unexpected nature of his pregnancies, Coleman approached each with excitement. However, he wasn’t aware that the road ahead would not be inclusive to trans people. Throughout his pregnancies, Coleman encountered a plethora of challenges.
“I faced a ton of misgendering, being called mom, being told I wasn’t supposed to be in certain spaces because they were women only spaces, along with the same medical racism that a lot of black people experience in birthing and medical spaces,” he explained. “To overcome these things, I really just advocated for myself and kept myself educated.”
Sharing the news of his pregnancies with family and friends wasn’t without its own set of surprises as well.
“When I told people I was pregnant, both times everyone thought I was pranking them,” Coleman shared. “After that, there was some confusion because everyone assumed that transitioning meant rejecting anything ‘feminine’ or associated with women – which isn’t true for everyone.”
As the confusion cleared for those closest to Coleman, skepticism was replaced with excitement. However, outside of that inner circle, he continued to face prejudices regarding his decision to give birth as a trans man.
Addressing Misconceptions
Rigid gender norms often lead to speculation and judgment, with some questioning the impact on Coleman’s children. Yet, he is certain that his children know exactly who they are and where they come from. He challenges the notion that unconventional paths to parenthood are inherently harmful.
“I encounter misconceptions and prejudices every single day,” he explained. “Again, people associate pregnancy with women and so they are confused as to why a trans man would transition and then have a baby (or multiple babies).”
Rejecting the notion of needing to “navigate” his identity, Coleman focuses instead on being the best version of himself for his children, irrespective of societal expectations.
“The thing is, I am just a parent who happens to be transgender. That’s my reality. I don’t see it as something to navigate. This is just my life,” he emphasized.
Coleman says he hopes to bring visibility to the LGBTQ+ community through his journey, particularly the often-overlooked Black trans masculine community. By sharing his story, he aims to humanize queer and trans experiences.
“I just wish people would honestly stop worrying about what others are doing with their own bodies and/or lives,” Coleman urged.