Transgender Ecuadorian couple in which man gave birth wish to prepare baby boy for world without prejudice

Record ID: 84723

  • Title: Transgender Ecuadorian couple in which man gave birth wish to prepare baby boy for world without prejudice
  • Date: 5th October 2016
  • Summary: GUAYAQUIL, ECUADOR (OCTOBER 5, 2016) (REUTERS TV) VARIOUS OF DIANE RODRIGUEZ AND FERNANDO MACHADO FEEDING THEIR SON IN THEIR HOME VARIOUS OF FERNANDO HOLDING HIS 5-MONTH OLD SON WHILE THEY PLAY VARIOUS OF DIANE AND FERNANDO DRESSING THEIR SON (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) DIANE RODRIGUEZ, LGBT RIGHTS ACTIVIST, SAYING: "In Fernando's and my case, we conceived our son naturally, through natural coitus, but we don't want society in general to have the idea that that is the path that all of the LGBT community must follow. Our case is a very diverse case among the diverse, in other words it is very complex, among the most complex, that it could be within the same LGBT community and not everyone should be like us. Those who feel comfortable with our story, with our life process and see us as emblems, as icons as many people have let us know, that's very good. But to those people who are not comfortable with us, don't think that we are promoting just this kind of family within diversity, because that's why we are diverse." VARIOUS OF DIANE AND FERNANDO GETTING THEIR BABY CARRIER AND BACKPACK (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) FERNANDO MACHADO, FATHER, SAYING: "What we are doing is preparing him because, if he is prepared, he will be able to overcome these things that could affect him much quicker and he has to understand that just as there are good people like mom and dad, there are also bad people and that no one is spared from these things. We are raising him with love. We want our baby to be a carrier of love his entire life, so that he educates bad, perverse people and that's what I hope for him, that he be happy." DIANE DOING DISHES DIANE CARRYING BABY IN BABY CARRIER VARIOUS OF DIANE HOLDING CLOTHES THAT SHE MADE OUT OF COLOURS OF HER POLITICAL PARTY VARIOUS OF DIANE AT RALLY FOR PARTY IN WHICH SHE WILL RUN AS REPRESENTATIVE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) DIANE RODRIGUEZ, LGBT ACTIVIST, SAYING: "Supposedly, my gender identity, what I project publicly, is my feminine gender and publicly, I should be treated as a woman. So no one cares what is between my legs and that is the way it should be because it is private, whether society and the government (label it) incorrectly-- and this is something we corrected with the bill "Reforms to the Law of Civil Registry Regarding Gender Identity. ”We made the state realize that sex is one thing and it is a private right and gender is another thing and that is a public right. Sex stays on the birth certificate and gender on the public document, on the identification card, we have accomplished that in Ecuador, Ecuador has become the first country in the world-- that recognizes me as a biological woman because, no matter how many surgeries or hormones I take, I will never be a biological woman and it's the same thing with Fernando, he will never be a biological man. He can be a man socially which is different and I can be a woman socially." VARIOUS OF DIANE FEEDING HER SON VARIOUS OF DIANE, FERNANDO AND SON LEAVING THEIR HOME
  • Embargoed: 20th October 2016 17:31
  • Keywords: LGBTI Ecuadorian couple baby rights
  • Location: GUAYAQUIL, ECUADOR
  • City: GUAYAQUIL, ECUADOR
  • Country: Ecuador
  • Topics: Living/Lifestyle,Society/Social Issues
  • Reuters ID: LVA00152QBWOZ
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: An Ecuadorian transgender couple who made history in South America when the father gave birth to the baby of his transgender partner seven weeks ago, spoke about their complex diverse case on Wednesday (October 5) and said they wanted to teach their baby how to live without prejudice.
    Fernando Machado and Diane Rodriguez, one of Ecuador's most-prominent LGBT activists, first announced their pregnancy, believed to be the first of its kind on the continent, on social media at the end of 2015 when they first learnt they were going to be parents.
    They did so to create awareness as they fight for gay rights and gender equality, drawing inspiration from a flurry of new laws on marriage and civil unions in the rest of traditionally Roman Catholic Latin America.
    They wish to fight against widespread discrimination, rejection, stigma and violence in the region.
    Neither Rodriguez, born Luis, says she and her Venezuelan-born partner, born Maria, have undergone gender-reassignment surgery and were able to conceive naturally.
    "In Fernando's and my case, we conceived our son naturally, through natural coitus, but we don't want society in general to have the idea that that is the path that all of the LGBT community must follow. Our case is a very diverse case among the diverse, in other words it is very complex, among the most complex, that it could be within the same LGBTI community and not everyone should be like us. Those who feel comfortable with our story, with our life process and see us as emblems, as icons as many people have let us know, that's very good. But to those people who are not comfortable with us, don't think that we are promoting just this kind of family within diversity, because that's why we are diverse," Rodriguez said from the couple's home in Guayaquil.
    The couple - who met on Facebook - became pregnant after living together for just three weeks.
    Machado, hopes to prepare their baby boy known affectionately for now only as Caraote - which means "the snail" to overcome adversity and prejudice.
    "What we are doing is preparing him because, if he is prepared, he will be able to overcome these things that could affect him much quicker and he has to understand that just as there are good people like mom and dad, there are also bad people and that no one is spared from these things. We are raising him with love. We want our baby to be a carrier of love his entire life, so that he educates bad, perverse people and that's what I hope for him, that he be happy," Machado said.
    Both male and female same-sex sexual activity is legal in Ecuador, but same-sex couples and households headed by same-sex couples are not eligible for the same legal protections available to opposite-sex married couples.
    Rodriguez hopes to continue fighting for LGBTI rights in Ecuador.
    "Supposedly, my gender identity, what I project publicly, is my feminine gender and publicly, I should be treated as a woman. So no one cares what is between my legs and that is the way it should be because it is private, whether society and the government (label it) incorrectly-- and this is something we corrected with the bill "Reforms to the Law of Civil Registry Regarding Gender Identity. "We made the state realize that sex is one thing and it is a private right and gender is another thing and that is a public right. Sex stays on the birth certificate and gender on the public document, on the identification card, we have accomplished that in Ecuador, Ecuador has become the first country in the world-- that recognizes me as a biological woman because, no matter how many surgeries or hormones I take, I will never be a biological woman and it's the same thing with Fernando, he will never be a biological man. He can be a man socially which is different and I can be a woman socially," Rodriguez said.
    The LGBT community have made advances in Latin America. Several countries have legalized gay marriage or civil partnerships, defying opposition from the traditionally strong Catholic Church and the increasingly influential Evangelical lobby.
    Argentina became the first Latin American country to legalize gay marriage in 2010, followed by Uruguay in 2013. Same-sex marriage has been legal in Mexico City since 2009.
    Several countries, including Argentina, Ecuador and Bolivia, have also changed their gender identity laws, allowing a person to reassign their name and gender on the basis of their expressed will, without having to seek approval from doctors or judges or undergo surgery first.
    In April this year, Colombia's LGBT community celebrated after the country's highest court passes a ruling paving the way for same-sex marriage in the socially conservative Andean nation.
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