A transgender couple from Kerala is expecting their first baby. Ziya Paval and Zahad Fazil from Kozhikode’s Ummalathoor are swamped with joy and excitement, as they are expecting their first child in March. After Ziya shared the big news in a social media post, Zahad has been making headlines, since he is possibly the first transgender male in the country to become pregnant.
Ziya was born a man but changed into a woman, while Zahad was born as a woman and transformed into a man. According to a Hindustan Times report, while the two have been living together for the past three years, Zahad conceived the baby with Ziya during his transition period from a woman into a man.
Zahad’s transition process was obstructed due to the pregnancy. His uterus and other organs were not removed during the medical procedure for sex change. According to the report, the couple had decided to conceive the baby when the surgery to remove his breasts was completed. However, there was still hope as the doctor reportedly stated that the pregnancy was possible, as the uterus was not removed.
Ziya shared a series of pictures from their maternity photoshoot and penned down a lengthy note, detailing their struggles and how grateful they feel about becoming parents.
Ziya wrote, “Even though I am not a woman by birth or by body, a dream that I had inside me until I grew up knowing the femininity in me is ‘Mother’. My brother Zahad Fazil started to change his body according to his wishes while living with the mental difficulties of living with his own body he was born with, while he lived by holding on to his desires…Hormone therapies and Breast removal surgery.”
Ziya thanked all who stood by Zahad during this period and added, “Time has brought us together. It’s been three years. Like the dream of mother in me, his dream of father and a desire to be our own brought us together in a single thought. 8 months old and moving in his tummy with full consent…… Supported our decisions to make our wishes come true.
India’s first Tran’s Man Pregnancy…….Heartfelt thanks to my Ithak, brother-in-law, his mother, sister, and Doctor who stood with full support to us as a small family in our lonely life.”
As per a Manorama Online report, the couple earlier tried to adopt a baby. However, being a transgender couple, the legal proceedings were challenging. That was exactly when they came up with the idea that Zahad, who is biologically still a female, could conceive.
Zahad was reportedly reluctant to fall back, thinking what people would think of him. Returning to femininity, which he planned to abandon, was also challenging. It was Ziya’s earnest desire to become a mother, convinced him.
