A transgender couple has become India’s first real-life parents after one partner gave birth to a child in the southern Indian state of Kerala.
The baby’s birth is a milestone for India, where transgenders face discrimination and stigma despite being officially recognized as a ‘third gender’ since 2014.
Zia Powell, who was born male, and her partner Zahid, who was born female, were undergoing hormonal therapy to change their gender when they became pregnant.
Zahid gave birth to the baby in a government hospital on Wednesday, who is currently undergoing treatment in the intensive care unit of the hospital along with her newborn.
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Zia said with a smile: ‘I am very happy. Today is the day I held my baby for the first time.’
He added, ‘The baby has been breastfed and is fine. He has no problem physically or mentally.’
According to local media, Zahid is 23 and Zia is 21 years old. They have refrained from revealing the gender of the child.