Born in 1974 in Hawaii as Tracy Lehuanani LaGondino, Thomas Beatie embarked on a transformative journey that would later make headlines globally. At the age of ten, Thomas began identifying as a boy, and by the time he turned 23, he had initiated testosterone therapy.
In his teenage years, Thomas was a driven young man, a quality evident in his accomplishments. He pursued a career as a model and reached the finals of the Miss Hawaii Teen USA pageant. Additionally, Thomas excelled in martial arts, participating in karate and Taekwondo. His prowess in Taekwondo earned him a junior championship at the 1992 Aloha State Games.
In 2002, Thomas underwent surgery to remove his breasts. He officially changed his sex marker from “female” to “male” on both his state and federal identity documents. But he chose to retain his female reproductive organs – a decision that would play a pivotal role in his ability to become pregnant later on.
