In a first, trans man father to give birth in Kerala

A transgender couple in Kerala is eagerly awaiting the arrival of their first child, considered to be the first pregnancy of a trans man in the country.

A photoshoot posted by the Ziya - Zahad couple on social media the other day had gone viral.

Ziya, who was born as a man, and Zahad, who was born as a woman, had even started a sex reassignment procedure after deciding to live together. But the wish to have a child has made the couple plan to conceive.

By then Zahad had already started hormone therapy and removed breasts and was about to remove his uterus. But they consulted doctors and Zahad conceived the baby from Ziya following treatment at Kozhikode medical college hospital. The delivery is expected by next month.

"Though there were many hurdles, our excitement to become biological parents has no limits. We have been receiving good support from many people, including doctors," Ziya told DH.

Ziya, 21, hailing from Malappuram district, is a classical dancer by profession. Zahad, 23, is from Thiruvananthapuram. Both of them used to meet at gatherings of transpersons. Three years back they decided to live together and settled down in Kozhikode.

The other day they posted pictures of a maternity photoshoot and it had gone viral on social media.

Ziya said that since the treatments were quite expensive they were expecting assistance from government agencies. Zahad's family also used to support them.