‘Nervous’ couple makes history as India’s first-ever trans parents to be: ‘We’re about to realise my dream’
Ziya Paval and Zahhad are happy parent’s to their newly arrived baby.(Instagram)
A trans couple in India has made history by announcing they are expecting their first child.
Trans woman and dancer Ziya Paval announced on Instagram that her partner, trans man Zahhad, is eight months pregnant and would likely welcome their child sometime in the coming month.
In the post, she wrote: “We are about to realise my dream of becoming a mother and his dream of becoming a father.
“From what we came to know, this is the first trans man’s pregnancy in India.”
The trans parents of southern Kerala, who have reportedly been together for three years, halted hormone therapy after meeting each other to try for a baby.
Once the child has been born, they confirmed that they would continue to medically transition.
“When we started to live together three years ago, we thought our lives should be different from transgenders,” Ziya told the Indian Express.
“Most transgender couples are boycotted by society as well as their families. We wanted a baby, so that we leave behind something of ourselves.”
The pair said their decision in becoming parents was built both out of their unwavering desire to have a child, and also as a way to show the trans community that natural parenthood is still possible.
“There may be many trans men or trans women who wish to become parents like us, but they do not have the courage to step ahead fearing humiliation and rejection,” Ziya continued.
“Initially, we thought of going for adoption, but when we tried to learn details of the process, we knew about the legal complexities.”
India is especially divided when it comes to LGBTQ+ and transgender rights, with legislation failing to meet equitable standards for queer people.
While there are anti-discrimination laws in place to prevent the mistreatment of LGBTQ+ people, public opinion polls suggest that the country still has a long way to go in building acceptance.
Additionally, same-sex marriage is still prohibited in India, meaning that queer couples aren’t afforded the same rights as heterosexual couples.
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