Alex Ramirez, a 32-year-old transgender man, recently went viral after sharing his emotional experience giving birth at a California hospital — not just because of the joy of welcoming his child, but because of how he was treated by medical staff.
Despite clearly stating his gender identity and preferred pronouns during intake, Alex claims several nurses continued to refer to him as “she” and “mother,” even after being corrected multiple times.
“I understand that this might be outside someone’s comfort zone,” Alex said in an interview. “But when you’re a trans man giving birth, the last thing you need is to be misgendered repeatedly while already in pain and vulnerable.”
One nurse reportedly told him, “It’s just easier for me to think of you as a woman,” which Alex described as deeply invalidating and hurtful.
The situation escalated when a doctor entered the room and addressed him as “mom” in front of everyone. Alex snapped.
“I asked them to stop, to please respect who I am. But they laughed it off like it was no big deal,” he said.
After the birth of his healthy baby boy, Alex posted about the experience on social media, calling out the lack of proper training around transgender healthcare.
His post quickly gained attention, sparking both support and backlash online.
Many praised him for speaking out, calling it a necessary conversation about inclusivity in medical settings. Others criticized him, saying, “You can’t act surprised if you chose to give birth — it’s a female experience.”
But Alex argues that being a trans man doesn’t erase his ability to carry a child — and that shouldn’t mean sacrificing his identity.
“Pregnancy doesn’t make me any less of a man,” he wrote. “And every patient deserves dignity — especially during one of the most personal moments of their lives.”
Hospitals across the country are now being called to reevaluate their policies regarding transgender patients, and some medical professionals have reached out to Alex offering to help train staff on inclusive language.
As for Alex, he says he’s focused on raising his son — but he won’t stay silent about what happened.