Reuters Fact Check verifies screenshots of a fabricated article claiming that a transgender couple changed their baby’s gender.
Social media users are sharing a screenshot of a fabricated article claiming that a transgender couple changed their baby’s gender.
An example can be seen (here) with the text: “I'm sick of this Twisted Agenda being pushed on our children/youth. This babyboy has no idea yet the wickedness surrounding him. He hasn't even had a chance in life yet to grow into the Man he's destined to be. I'm Baffled. This is pure CHILD ABUSE #lgbtqagenda”.
The headline of the article in the screenshot reads: “DISCOVERING OUR BABY WAS TRANS WAS AN EMOTIONAL ROLLER COASTER”.
The text reads, in part:“ Our little beautiful baby trans girl is now ready to take on the world! It’s been a long road getting here.”
The photograph is authentic, but it is not about a couple who changed their baby’s gender.
A reverse Google Image search revealed that the photograph was featured in several articles (here), (here), (here), (here) about a transgender couple who paused transitioning to have a biological baby.
A video about the family can be seen (here).
The articles and video describe baby Aspen as the couple’s daughter (here). An article by The Independent (here) published on June 28, 2017 says that the couple had recently celebrated her first birthday.
A Google search of the headline seen in the posts reveals no credible results (bit.ly/3QX0dly) or any such article. The first results are meme pages or fact checks debunking the claims.
VERDICT
False. The article about a couple changing their baby’s gender has been fabricated.
This article was produced by the Reuters Fact Check team. Read more about our fact-checking work here.