The Pregnant Man (Sort Of)

And not one of those bogus, everyday miracles, like a sunrise. Aren't you a male? - Leela

Yes, it appears that men having babies isn't just the stuff of sci-fi cartoon shows any more. Well, in a sense. An odd it-becomes-perfectly-clear-once-you-think-about-it kind of sense.

You see, Thomas Beatie, of Oregon, is six months pregnant. Yes, Thomas is a man's name. So what's the catch?

A US man who is six months pregnant, 10 years after undergoing a sex change operation, has said he considers his unborn child a 'miracle'.

See, told you it makes sense. It also makes this ancient political debate seem very prescient:

FRANCIS
Why are you always on about women, Stan?

STAN
I want to be one.

REG
What?

STAN
I want to be a woman... from now on I want you all to call me Loretta.

REG
What???

LORETTA
It's my right as a man.

JUDITH
Well why do you want to be Loretta, Stan?

LORETTA
I want to have babies.

REG
You want to have babies?

LORETTA
It's every man's right to have babies if he wants them.

REG
But you can't have babies!

LORETTA
Don't you oppress me.

REG
I'm not oppressing you, Stan. You haven't got a womb. Where's the fetus going to gestate? You going to keep it in a box?

--[Loretta starts crying.]

JUDITH
Here. I've got an idea. Suppose you agree that he can't actually have babies, not having a womb, which is nobody's fault... not even the Romans', but that he can have the RIGHT to have babies.

--[This seems to satisfy him.]

FRANCIS
Good idea, Judith. We shall fight the oppressors for your right to have babies, brother! ... Sister, sorry.

REG
What's the point?

FRANCIS
What?

REG
That's the point of fighting for his right to have babies when he can't have babies?

FRANCIS
It is symbolic of our struggle against oppression.

REG
Symbolic of his struggle against reality.