First Indian transgender couple Paval and Zahad have gone viral on social media after the photo shoot of their pregnancy became the talk of the town.
In an interview they gave to BBC, Ziya Paval who is 21 years old and her partner Zahad who is 23 years old live in the southern state of Kerala. The transgender couple shared how they paused their hormone therapy to have a baby.
According to the couple, they were in the process of gender transition when they decided to have a baby. Paval was recorded as male at birth and now identifies as female. On other hand, Zahad was observed as female at birth and now identifies as male.
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Zahad is currently pregnant, and the couple is expected to welcome their baby son next month. The couple took to social media and announce the good news followed by many congratulations.
The couple decided to have a baby 1.5 years ago, when they were both at different stages of their gender transition. As per the article, Zahad’s ovaries and uterus had not been removed yet, so the couple stopped the hormone therapy on their doctors’ advice. However, the couple’s doctors are not authorized to speak to the media.
Read more: ‘I’m not a transgender or woman, stop using these labels as an insult’: Hazim Bangwar
The couple believes their experience may be rare in India because no one else has called themselves a biological parent in the transgender community as far as they know.
India despite allowing transgender to practice rights equally, the country often witnesses the struggle of the transgender community in terms of accessing education and healthcare, and often faces prejudice and stigma.
The couple shared how they faced discrimination from their families. “I am from a conservative Muslim family which never allowed me to learn classical dance,” Paval said. Zahad, who is from a Christian family, had left his family after coming out as transgender to them.
