To whom is
dedicated?
Cisgender and Transgender
First of all, it is crucial to distinguish between Cisgender (“Cis”) and Transgender (“Trans”). A Cisgender describes an individual that matches, in all aspects, with the gender assigned at birth.
On the other hand, a Transgender is somebody who shift genders, which means, even though they were born with a male or female reproductive system, they match with the opposite gender.
Lesbian: Cisgender or Transgender person who matches with the female gender and has an affective and/or sexual relationship with other people of the female gender.
#PrideBabiesCanHelp: In general, admitting that the health conditions of the individual are granted, a lesbian person is able to carry a fertility treatment. A lesbian couple or a lesbian single woman, can undergo an Intra Uterine Insemination with Donor Sperm, an In Vitro Fertilization with Donor Sperm or Shared Motherhood (one element of the couple gets pregnant with the embryo created from the oocyte of the other element of the couple and the sperm of a donor).
Gay: Cisgender or Transgender person that matches with the male gender and has an affective and/or sexual relationship with other people of the male gender.
#PrideBabiesCanHelp: Unfortunately, in Portugal, a gay couple can’t carry a fertility treatment to achieve parenthood. However, they can cryopreserve their sperm.
Bissexual: Somebody who affectively or sexually gets along with people from the same gender as theirs or from other genders.
#PrideBabiesCanHelp: In general, admitting that the health conditions of the individual are granted, a bisexual person is able to carry a fertility treatment. One of the elements of the couple must be a woman, because in Portugal exclusive male couples don’t have the possibility to undergo fertility treatments.
Transgender (Travestite or Transexual): People who don’t match with the gender assigned at birth based on their genital organs and that shift to another gender, either maintaining or not their biological reproductive organs. It is extremely important that transgender people are adequately advised about the alternatives of fertility preservation, especially before they begin long-term hormonal therapy.
#PrideBabiesCanHelp: In general, admitting that the health conditions of the individual are granted, a transgender person is able to carry a fertility treatment. However, it is necessary to have a viable uterus and civil identity requirements: the treatment is only possible if the couple has different civil identities or if they are both women.
Examples:
- A man that shifts to woman and who has lesbian sexual orientation, might do sperm cryopreservation (before the transition process) or carry a fertility treatment with donor sperm;
- A man who shifts to woman and who has a heterosexual sexual orientation can’t carry a fertility treatment, due to the fact that none of the members of the couple have a viable uterus;
- A woman who shifts to man and who has a gay sexual orientation can’t carry a fertility treatment if he has a male civil identity, even if he maintains the female reproductive organs;
- A woman who shifts to man and who has a heterosexual sexual orientation can carry a fertility treatment using donor sperm.
Queer: Queer is a word that describes sexual and gender identities other than straight and cisgender. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender people may all identify with the word “Queer”.
Questioning: Term used to describe a non-heterosexual orientation without establishing to whom the person feels attracted to. In this condition, people are trying to figure out what’s their identity or sexual orientation.
Intersexual: According to the North American Intersexual Society, this term is used to describe a set of conditions in which a person is born with a reproductive or sexual anatomy that doesn’t fit in the common definition of female or male gender. For instance, an intersexual person might be born with an external appearance of female gender genitalia but with internal anatomy mostly from the male gender (ambiguity). The intersexuality does not apply to sexual orientation or gender identity.
#PrideBabiesCanHelp: In general, admitting that the health conditions of the individual are granted, an Intersexual person is able to carry a fertility treatment. Nevertheless, in many of these situations, people might be infertile, thus, gamete donation is necessary.
+: Comprises the remain letters of the abbreviation “LGBTT2QQIAAP” and other conditions in the spectrum of gender and sexuality that language doesn’t describe so far:
Assexual – Individual that feels little to no attraction by any gender;
#PrideBabiesCanHelp: In general, admitting that the health conditions of the individual are granted, an Asexual person is able to carry a fertility treatment. People who are friends but have no affective or sexual attraction by their friend, can still be mothers/fathers.
Pansexual ou Polissexual – Those who might develop physical attraction, love or sexual desire for other people, regardless of their gender identity or reproductive organs.
Allies – People who, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, develop actions to promote the LGBTQIA+ rights and inclusion.
Agender – Somebody who doesn’t match or feel that belongs to any gender.
Neutral – People who don’t wish to be linked to a specific gender.