A transgender man has given birth to a healthy baby boy called Leo.

Trystan Reese, from Portland in Oregon, was born female but started taking hormones nearly 10 years ago.

He and his husband Biff Chaplow have been providing online updates during the pregnancy.

Leo, who was born after 30 hours of labour, is the couple's first biological child but they also have two other adopted children, Mr Chaplow's niece and nephew.

The couple have documented their journey through pregnancy to help dispel myths and encourage acceptance.


"I never wanted to change my body," said Mr Reese.

"I never felt like I needed to change my body. And I for sure do not hate my body.

"I feel like my body is awesome and that it is a gift to have been born with the body that I did, and I made the necessary changes so that I could keep living in it," he added.

Image: Trystan Reese and husband Biff Chaplow documented the pregnancy on social media. Pic: Biff And I/Facebook

"I have never wished or wanted to be assigned male at birth... and I've never wanted my body to be different so if you can understand that then it starts to make more sense that it would not seem totally bizarre for me to want to create and carry a baby."

"I'm okay being a man who has a uterus and who has the capacity and capability of carrying a baby."

Mr Reese is among the few transgender men in the world in recent years to give birth.

In a social media video post showing Mr Reese holding his son less than 24 hours after he was born, Mr Chaplow said: "The next time someone says that men can't have babies show them this video."

The couple told CNN that Leo "eats like a champ, sleeps well, and gives us lots of cuddles".

They said: "We are so lucky to have been able to welcome him into our lives and cannot wait to see who he grows up to be."

Image: The couple have been the subject of online abuse. Pic: Biff And I/Facebook

Mr Reese stopped taking testosterone to prepare for the pregnancy. Last year, he suffered a miscarriage.

This week, the pair posted on their Facebook page 'Biff and I' that they had received some negative comments online.

Posting a link to an article, they said: "This article includes a great primer on transgender issues, for those who might need it and according to some of the messages we've received today, many of you do need it.

"Young people from LGBT families must learn to face homophobia, while allies work to end it.

"We know that Leo may encounter negativity in his life, but we trust ourselves to help shape him to be strong enough to face it when it comes, to look it in the eye, and to defeat it. That's what we've done."

Two months ago Hayden Cross, 21, became the first transgender man to give birth in the UK.

He made headlines after announcing he was pregnant by a sperm donor, three years after becoming legally male.

His daughter Trinity-Leigh was born in June.