These days, using someone’s preferred name and pronouns is the best way to demonstrate respect and acknowledgment of their identity, be they straight, gay, or transgender.

However, not everyone adheres to this practice, often clinging to outdated norms or disregarding individuals’ gender identities — even within medical care environments, where patient dignity, OB-GYN liability, and prenatal care compliance are critical to quality treatment outcomes.

Bennett Kaspar-Williams, 37, from Los Angeles, welcomed their son Hudson into the world via cesarean in October 2020, with the support of their husband, Malik — a delivery that involved advanced diagnostics, high-risk birth management, and insurance coverage for cesarean procedures under their existing private health insurance plan.

Despite Kaspar-Williams identifying as male and using he/him/his pronouns at the time (they now identify as non-binary and use both he/him/his and they/them pronouns), they encountered challenges at the hospital when nurses repeatedly misgendered them, referring to them as a mother rather than a father, as per the Daily Mail.

“Posted by Bennett Kaspar-Williams on Saturday, October 10, 2020”

Kaspar-Williams began his transition in 2014 after realizing he was transgender in 2011. The couple made the decision to start a family and carefully considered their options — knowing it would require Bennett to pause the hormone therapy treatments covered under chronic illness management plans, so his ovaries could resume functioning.

Although Bennett had undergone top surgery, he hadn’t had any procedures on his lower body. After thoughtful reflection and weighing both medical risks and long-term insurance implications, he felt at peace with the idea of carrying a child himself — a choice that raised questions around maternity insurance policies and hospital costs associated with transgender care.