Trystan Reese

Trystan Reese (born 1982 ) is a writer from the Antelope Valley of California, based in Portland, Oregon, best known for publicizing his experience with pregnancy as a transgender man. He was one of a number of transgender men to receive news coverage for giving birth in the 2010s.

Background Trystan Reese, who was assigned female at birth, began masculinizing hormone therapy in the 2000s. He began working on political campaigns for LGBTQ political movements across the U.S., working on causes like marriage equality, trans rights, and abolishing the death penalty.

Reese met Biff Chaplow in 2010 in Los Angeles, and after dating for a year, the pair learned that Chaplow's niece and nephew would be moved into the foster care system unless Chaplow decided to care for them. They agreed to take care of the children in a possibly temporary arrangement, but filed for emergency guardianship after circumstances worsened for Chaplow's sister. Reese and Chaplow married in 2013 and moved to Portland, Oregon with their niece and nephew. Later he learned that stopping testosterone would let him carry a baby within months. He and Chaplow also knew many trans men who had babies. Reese paused his hormone therapy to become pregnant, but experienced a miscarriage. After their story went viral, they were subjected to continuous transphobia and threatening messages online. He also founded Collaborate Consulting, which focused on equity and inclusion.

In 2022, Reese and Chaplow collaborated on a children's book detailing their family's experiences with pregnancy. It was published by Flamingo Rampant.

Books 2021, How We Do Family. From Adoption to Trans Pregnancy, What We Learned about Love and LGBTQ Parenthood. ISBN 978-1-61519-757-6. 2022, The Light Of You. ISBN 978-1-99915-626-8.