I am ignorant. I have a question about an article I read on Truthout. I'm

[sinkingfeeling]

hoping that I won't offend anybody, but I just don't understand what the article is saying.

http://truth-out.org/opinion/item/17888-not-everyone-who-has-an-abortion-is-a-woman-how-to-frame-the-abortion-rights-issue

"But abortion restrictions also affect the lives of people who aren't women, and they hinder trans men and gender-non-conforming people and others who were Designated Female at Birth (DFAB) from accessing abortion care, as well.

"Stand with Ohio Women" and the "War on Women" may be great rallying cries, but they also very clearly reiterate the notion that abortion is both solely a women's issue and that only women have abortions. This can make those in the trans community feel excluded, and it can deter them from both seeking the abortion care they may need or becoming actively involved in abortion rights advocacy. "

*********************
Question: So are they saying that transgendered men can become pregnant and may need an abortion?

[William769]

1. From the article.

"But abortion restrictions also affect the lives of people who aren't women, and they hinder trans men and gender-non-conforming people and others who were Designated Female at Birth (DFAB) from accessing abortion care, as well."

"Transgender Man (Transman): A transgender individual who identifies as a man (see also FTM)."

"FTM or F2M (Female-to-Male): Term used to identify a person who was designated a female sex at birth and
currently identifies as male, lives as a man, or identifies predominantly as masculine. This includes a broad
range of experiences, from those who identify as men or male to those who identify as transsexual, transgender
men, transmen, female men, new men, or FTM. Some reject this terminology, arguing that they have always
been male internally and are now making that identity visible, where others feel that such language reinforces
an either/or gender system. Some individuals prefer the term MTM (male-to-male) to underscore the fact that
although they were assigned female at birth, they never had a female gender identity.

"Designated Female at Birth (DFAB): A phrase describing a person who was deemed to be the female sex at
birth via the subjective viewing and labeling of the body's characteristics; 2) having been labeled female at birth
because the body possessed traits culturally recognized as female sex; 3) representing the wide spectrum of
identities and bodies that were labeled as female when born; 4) In the cases of those who are within the intersex
spectrum, the word "assigned" is more frequently used to recognize the subjective labeling of non-binary sexed
bodies which may then be surgically altered to reflect culturally constructed female sexed bodily traits (to be
written Female Assigned at Birth)."

Hope this helps you understand a little better.

[sinkingfeeling]

2. Thank you William769. My question really is a bit different, I guess.

If one identifies as male, but retains the physical attributes of a woman, why would one enter into a sexual relationship with a male that would enable pregnancy?

[JackBeck]

3. Because they are a trans man that is attracted to other men. n/t

[sinkingfeeling]

4. Isn't that rare? I've heard about 'straight' men who are attracted to

transgendered men, so I guess that would answer the question.

Thanks, I'm really just trying to understand the need for inclusiveness when discussing abortion rights.

[JackBeck]

5. I have no idea. There hasn't been any global research done to identify this community & their needs.

But the point of the article is that these services should be available for trans men.

[Bluenorthwest]

6. Isn't that beside the point?

nt

[MNBrewer]

8. Gender identification and sexual orientation are separate things.

and have a highly complex interaction.

[sinkingfeeling]

9. Thank you, that's the piece I've been missing.

[Fearless]

12. That is the crux of the discussion

Sexual identity (how you identify yourself) and sexual orientation (whom you are attracted/not attracted to) are not dependent on each other. Just the same as being a man doesn't give you the prerequisite of being attracted to women, being genetically born a man doesn't give you the prerequisite of identifying as a man. Sometimes it's as a woman. Sometimes neither, in fact.

In the grand scheme, every person is different. Some conclude it's to a degree. Some conclude it's a few different categories. I'd suggest that it doesn't matter so long as the person loves themselves for who they are.

[Zorra]

11. BTW, just FYI, proper usage is "transgender" men, not transgendered

For example, you wouldn't say, "sinkingfeeling is a heterosexualed man", or "sinkingfeeling is a straighted man" or "kd laing is a lesbianed women" or "Dan Savage is a gayed man

"Mary is transgender, kd laing is lesbian, Dan Savage is gay, sinking feeling is straight."

Transgendered is not really a word, although it is very often mistakenly used.

[Fearless]

13. Good point and response!

[LuvNewcastle]

7. The abortion issue is primarily a women's issue, but it is also

important to talk about how much abortion affect's men's lives. I'm surprised that men don't discuss much how different their lives would be if that girlfriend or wife hadn't had an abortion. A lot of men see it negatively, I know, but men should also recognize how often they aren't emotionally or economically able to care for a child, anyway. The birth of a child at the wrong time or the wrong situation could be disastrous for the life of a child or a man as well as a woman. Maybe it's a macho thing, but you'd think more men would appreciate that women have that right to stop a pregnancy at the wrong time. A lot more men should be standing side-by-side with women in the fight to keep abortion legal.

[Tien1985]

10. It's not all that rare

There are lots of ftm who are bi/gay/pan and who may end up pregnant.