‘World’s First Pregnant Man’ Thomas Beatie’s Divorce Proceedings Stalled As Judge Questions Union's Legality Under Arizona Same-Sex Marriage Laws

Thomas Beatie, the transgender man who was dubbed the "world's first pregnant man" in 2007 when pictures of his scruffy and bearded pregnancy began seizing international headlines, is suffering another setback for his separation from his wife Nancy, who Thomas claims is an abusive alcoholic.

According to a report by TMZ, the Arizona judge presiding over their divorce has deemed Thomas Beatie's relationship with his wife Nancy to be a same-sex union. Since same-sex marriage is not legal in the state of Arizona, making the divorce similarly untenable.

While Thomas reported that he had a well-documented and state-authorized sex change prior to their marriage and wedding in 2003, the judge is not reportedly not convinced that Beatie is actually a man, according to the New York Daily News. The judge is therefore reportedly still considering how exactly the court should proceed.

This recent legal obstacle is an unfortunate turn of events against Beatie's favor in the ongoing legal between Thomas and his wife Nancy. Beatie was originally granted temporary full custody over the couple's three children in May by the court after he presented footage allegedly showing Nancy attacking him.

"Mr. Beatie is thrilled that this Court has recognized that a transgender marriage is a valid marriage under Arizona law," Beatie's attorney David Michael Cantor said at the time, Pink News reported. "Hopefully, this case will help pave the way for other State's valid marriages to be recognized in the divorce courts of Arizona."

When the couple first separated in April, Beatie explained the split to People magazine as "a rough patch," saying that, "Like all marriages, we have our ups and downs." He also added that he was still undergoing the final surgery for his female-to-male gender reassignment surgery during the period of their separation, saying "Nancy hasn't seen the new me yet."