Transgender Dad Reveals Emotional Struggle After Being Mistaken for ‘Mother’ — See the Powerful Photos!

Using a person’s chosen name and pronouns is a fundamental sign of respect, yet societal norms about gender often lead to misgendering—especially in healthcare settings. This was a very personal struggle for Bennett Kaspar-Williams, a 37-year-old transgender man who gave birth to his son, Hudson, via C-section in October 2020.

Although he identifies as male and uses he/him pronouns, hospital staff repeatedly called him “mother,” causing emotional pain during an already vulnerable time. Kaspar-Williams began his gender transition in 2014 after realizing he was transgender in 2011. He had top surgery but chose not to undergo lower-body surgery, allowing him to carry a pregnancy.

While having a child brought him joy, the ongoing misgendering during pregnancy and delivery made the experience difficult. Despite male gender markers on medical forms, many medical professionals still assumed only women give birth.

Since becoming a parent, Kaspar-Williams has advocated for separating childbirth from gender identity. He stresses that not everyone who gives birth is a woman, and not all women can or want to give birth.

His dysphoria came from being called “mother,” a role he never identified with. For him, deciding to get pregnant made sense only after mentally separating childbirth from societal expectations about womanhood.

His story parallels that of Freddy McConnell, another transgender man who gave birth in 2019 and was featured in a documentary. McConnell, who experienced gender dysphoria from childhood, said transitioning helped him enjoy life fully. When he chose to have a child to maintain a biological connection, he viewed it practically—as using his body’s ability to achieve a goal. Unlike Kaspar-Williams, McConnell’s hospital staff were accepting and respectful, making his childbirth experience empowering.

Today, both Kaspar-Williams and McConnell proudly raise their children as fathers. Kaspar-Williams says, “Nothing feels stronger than being able to say I’m a dad who created my own child.” He hopes the day will come when Hudson understands that his father carried him, helping to normalize the diverse realities of modern families. Their experiences challenge deep-rooted gender norms and help create more inclusive views of parenthood.