Is There Such a Thing as Bad Press?  | Commentary | Advocate.com

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Is There Such a Thing as Bad Press?
He's having a baby, and the media is begging for input from the LGBT community. Will we miss this opportunity?
By Simon Aronoff
An Advocate.com exclusive posted April 18, 2008
Is There Such a Thing as Bad Press?

Thomas Beatie and his wife, Nancy, have made national headlines for something very ordinary: starting a family. Thomas is a transgender man who has chosen to carry the couple’s child because Nancy isn't able to. From where I sit -- safely inside an urban bubble and well ensconced in the transgender movement both personally and professionally -- what Thomas is doing isn't shocking in the least. He is far from the first transman to carry a child, and he certainly won't be the last. What is different about Thomas and Nancy is that they were proactive in garnering media coverage -- and in a big way. With joint exclusive interviews with both the Oprah Show and People magazine, the Beaties have reached a national audience with their story of family -- the story of queer family.

Now I'm not the kid-loving or -bearing kind. I've just never had the instinct or the drive to bring, adopt, conceive, foster, or otherwise beget any kin of any kind. But I've got to give kudos to the Beaties. It’s a brave thing to commit to loving and supporting another human being for the rest of their lives -- no matter what.

Simon Aronoff is a vice president at Renna Communications, a public interest communications firm specializing in LGBT issues and advocacy.

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