Andrew+and+Kelis

http://abcnews.go.com/US/t/story/judge-blocks-divorce-transgender-pregnant-man-18840262

Background: A woman who decided to become a man in 1997 is denied divorce in Arizona. His name is Thomas Beatie and because his wife could not have children, he decided to put off treatment and have three children. The Arizona judge is saying this couple may not get a divorce because there is no evidence if Thomas Beatie was a woman at the time of the marriage. Arizona is also saying that their marriage is only a union and there for there is no divorce. If he moves back to Hawaii and remarries, he will be considered a polygamist because Hawaii recognizes his first marriage.

Here is a link to some before and after pictures: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-555473/Amazing-pictures-pregnant-man-tells-Oprah-people-try-kill-baby.html

Questions: Should this Arizona judge still treat this case as a same sex marriage? Do you consider a transgender man and a woman as same sex marriage? Since same sex marriage is not allowed in Hawaii, how can the Arizona judge claim that he was a she in Hawaii during his marriage? Should this man be treated as the man he is today or the woman he was before? Do you think it is possible to completely change to the other gender? How do you feel for the three children?

Kelis' Response: At first I didn't understand this article because this man wanted to get a divorce and his marriage wasn't being recognized in the first place, so why need a divorce when not married? As I read this article a few times over I understood that they still wanted to have proof they were married. In the article it says a person is a woman if they can have children, but aren't there cases where men have children? In my opinion, same sex marriages should be allowed because I think if two people love each other, they should be together. I don't think it is possible to completely change to the other gender because it's hard to define feminine and masculinity. I think that a transgender individual is like having a new start; new name, new body image, new body parts, different hormones and so on. In all, I think that Thomas Beatie should be recognized as a man and be able to have his divorce.

Andrew's Response: I feel strongly against the judges decision to decline the couple's request for divorce. I think that the judge should have recognized their same sex marriage in another state besides Arizona and let the couple have their rights as a married couple getting divorced. The thing I don't understand is why the entire U.S. is not on the same page about the entire topic of same sex marriages. I feel that if we are going to be a united country that this law is important enough for every state to be on the same page. This has a lot to do with sex versus gender and it is a lot different now with transgender operations. I feel that if two humans are in love with one another then they should be together no matter what. I know that these two believed they were right for each other, but something changed to make them want a divorce. We only get one shot at the life we are given. If some are truly unhappy about the sex they are born as, it is their life to change and make decisions, after all this is America the land of freedom.