Syven and Tori always wanted to have children, but as a transgender couple, they didn’t know if their dream would ever come true.
After discovering that Syven – who had been assigned female at birth – was able to conceive naturally, they began their journey to have a baby, with Tori now proud to be able to say: “My husband gave birth to our children.”
The couple are proud parents to their one-year-old son, Prophet, and one-month-old daughter, Wynter — but it hasn’t been entirely smooth sailing for Syven and Tori, who both made the transition when They were children.
Despite always dreaming of having children, Syven admitted he had doubts when they first started trying for a baby because he had been taking testosterone for “so long”.
“It took so long to conceive that I honestly thought it wasn’t going to happen,” he confessed.
Tori and Syven are both transgender and conceived their two children naturally
At first, Syven doubted he would be able to have a baby, recalling: “It took so long to conceive, I honestly thought it wouldn’t happen.”
Syven said the downside of being pregnant was “being judged” for being a pregnant man – especially when going to his doctor.
Both men were delighted when they found out Syven was pregnant, although they were cautious about how people would react to their unusual situation.
“People wrongly think that because you’re trans you can’t have kids,” Tori said.
She said although they got positive feedback when they told people Syven was pregnant, some “smiled and laughed” when they saw him walking around with a pregnant belly.
“The negatives were basically, ‘Why are you having a kid if you’re supposed to be a man,’ ‘Men don’t have babies,’ and stuff like that,” Syven recalls.
Despite some negative responses, Syven says he loved going through pregnancy.
However, the downside was being “judged” for being a pregnant man, especially when going to his doctor.
“You’re a pregnant man, sitting around a group of women, looking at you and saying, ‘no, that can’t be’ or ‘why?’ Or “is it possible that you are faking it?” he explained.
He added: “So it becomes very distressing and very uncomfortable because you don’t want to hide your pregnancy. »
Syven began transitioning at “a very young age”, recalling “he knew what he was” around the age of five or six.
“My transition journey was easy because I knew it. Difficult because of the things you have to deal with when you go through your transition,” he said.
Syven knew from a young age that being a girl wasn’t what it was when he was five or six.
He said his transition journey was “easy” because he knew what he wanted and who he was supposed to be.
Tori was assigned a boy at birth, but began her transition towards the end of school, admitting it was “difficult”. Pictured before her transition
Tori began transitioning in her late teens, around 18 or 19 years old.
When Prophet was six months old, Syven found out he was pregnant with Wynter, which he admitted was a “surprise.”
Unfortunately, his friends and family shunned him when he started taking testosterone, but added, “It all comes with transition.”
Tori was assigned male at birth and began transitioning in her late teens, around 18 or 19 years old.
“My transition journey was good, but it was also difficult (because) I was still kind of in school,” Tori explained.
She continued: “When I was at home I was comfortable and all that, and at school it was overwhelming.”
The couple also faced misconceptions and judgment as parents were told Tori was “never going to be the mother.”
After being diagnosed with preeclampsia and a dramatic birth with Prophet, which ended with Syven hemorrhaging, the couple say the only thing that matters to them now is the health and safety of their family.
“(Having kids) completely changes you, it makes you mature,” Tori said. “You want nothing more than for your relationship and your family to be healthy and at their best.”
Syven and Tori with their children, Syven’s mother (left) and brother (right)
Syven said he looked forward to teaching and protecting Prophet and Wynter as they grew up.
Tori said haters should ‘keep their opinions to themselves and mind their own business’
The couple thanked their close-knit extended family for making their transitions as smooth as possible and helping them with the growth of their offspring.
“I honestly think my transition has brought my relationship with my parents closer,” Syven said.
The couple are determined not to let the negative comments get to them, telling those who taunt them to “mind their own business”, adding that she and Syven set good examples for their little ones.
“People who made negative comments to us about being parents, being pregnant and trans? I think they should keep their opinions to themselves and mind their own business,” Tori said.
“Because our kids are going to succeed because we do.”
The couple said they would like to see more support for pregnant trans people and their families, and encouraged other trans people considering having children to “go for it”.
