Connect with us

Celebrities

From SEAL Team Six to Transgender Activist: Kristin Beck’s Journey

Published

on

The former US Navy SEAL Christopher Beck – aka – Kristin Beck, caught the public’s attention in 2013 when he came out as a transgender woman, and again in 2022 when he reversed his transgender identification.

Age, Early Life, and Education Background

Kristin was born Christopher Todd Beck under the Cancer zodiac sign on 21 June 1966, in Long Island, New York, which makes him 57 years old as of 2023. When he was a child, Beck was drawn to girlish toys and clothes despite his parents encouraging him to adopt boyish roles – during an interview, he recalled that he first tried wearing girl’s clothes when he was in kindergarten – his father once caught him wearing his sister’s ballerina outfits, and was very mad at him.

Beck’s family relocated to Memphis, Tennessee when he was in sixth grade. During his childhood days, Kristin played football and spent most of his spare time watching military movies. Many of his relatives served in the US military – his uncle and grandfather were in the Navy during World War II – which encouraged him to join the army.

Advertisement

Beck attended a Christian high school in the early ‘80s. Thereafter, he joined the Virginia Military Institute, from where he graduated with a degree in electrical engineering in 1988.

Hobbies and Interests

Beck is a motorcycle fanatic – he revealed during an interview that he was so skilled at riding bikes that he was appointed the president of a motorcycle club chapter when he was in the military.

The New York native has tried his hand at politics. In late 2015, CNN announced that Kristin was running for Congress for Maryland’s 5th congressional district – he lost to Steny Hamilton Hoyer in April 2016.

Military Career

Beck served as a US Navy SEAL for two decades before his gender transition – he took part in at least 13 military deployments, which comprised seven in combat. In 1991, he received Basic Underwater Demolition/ SEAL (best known as BUD/S) training and went on to serve in SEAL Team One. He later completed SEAL Tactical Training, which saw him receive Navy Enlisted Classification 5326 as a SEAL Combatant Swimmer, entitled to wear the SEAL Trident (Special Warfare) Insignia. Beck always dreamt of serving with the toughest SEAL unit, and his dream came true when he was selected to join the special counter-terrorism squad, the US Naval Special Warfare Development Group, known as DEVGRU or SEAL Team Six.

Beck was a Senior Chief Special Warfare Operator when he retired from the Navy in 2011. Beck received numerous awards and decorations during his service in the U.S. Navy. They include an Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, and Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, among others. He was also a recipient of the Purple Heart and Bronze Star.

Advertisement

He began dressing as a woman two years later, and had hormonal therapy while he prepared for gender-affirming surgery (sex reassignment surgery). He revealed during a June 2013 Interview with the American broadcaster Anderson Cooper, that he never came out as transgender during his military career, and that none of his colleagues knew the ‘real him.’ Shortly after coming out, he posted his picture as a woman on LinkedIn, which received mixed reactions from his friends and former military colleagues – he revealed that the transition was rough and that some of his former colleagues told him, ‘You skipped over gay and went straight to trans!… We needed someone to kind of warm us up to this, we need a gay SEAL before we have a trans SEAL.’

Book, Documentary, and Media Appearances

In 2013, Beck and the Georgetown University School of Medicine’s psychologist, Anne Speckhard, wrote the book “Warrior Princess: A U.S. Navy Seal’s Journey to Coming Out Transgender.” Beck had first met Speckhard, who was researching the resilience of Navy SEALs, at a counter-terrorism conference. After Kristin agreed to talk about coping mechanisms, they did a follow-up meeting in which Anne agreed to help him write his life story. Shortly after their book was published, The Atlantic magazine commented that it could ‘lay the groundwork for even greater inclusion in the armed forces.’ OurServe Magazine praised the novel, describing it as one of the most important and smartest books of the year.

On 7 March 2014, Cable News Network (CNN) released the documentary film “Lady Valor: The Kristin Beck Story.” It was directed by Mark Herzog and Sandrine Orabona and was a critical success. Beck later appeared in the acclaimed talk “Dr. Phil Show” in 2015, and made an appearance in the podcast “The Joe Rogan Experience” in June 2022.

Advertisement

Detransition

In December 2022, the ex-Navy SEAL announced that he was reversing his transgender transition, saying that he’d lived in hell for the last decade, and that he hadn’t taken hormones for the past seven years. He made media appearances advising young people under 25 years not to transition, explaining that many things went wrong in his body and life after his transition, and accusing the healthcare system of being a fraudulent ‘billion dollar industry between psychologists, between surgeries, between hormones, between chemicals, between follow-up treatments.’

Social Media Presence

Beck is active on Instagram (@valor4us) with over 45,000 followers. He joined Twitter in March 2013, and is currently followed by around 20,000 fans under the handle @valor4us. Beck is also active on Facebook with 17,000 fans.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CqInPveuQ7C/?hl=en

Personal Life

Shortly after he joined the Navy SEALs, Beck tied the knot with Shelly. The couple welcomed two boys, whose names remain unknown to the public. It is reported that he was very preoccupied with his career in the military, and would rarely go home. Later he suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and was mostly angry and temperamental. His condition resulted in the dissolution of their marriage.

Beck first met Heather Scott during a Pentagon social event. They fell in love instantly, began dating, and eventually became engaged.

Height, Weight, and Physical Appearance

Beck is of Caucasian ethnicity, and has dark brown hair and a pair of brown eyes. He stands 5ft 6ins (1.68m) tall, but hasn’t revealed his weight. He has inked several tattoos onto his body – previously, Beck had a biker-gang tattoo, but he covered it with a ladybug shortly after he stopped serving in the military.

Advertisement

Net Worth

Beck earned an annual salary of at least $150,000 during his tenure in the U.S. Navy, and is worth around $1 million, as of 2023.

As the Managing Editor at The Legit, I direct a dynamic team dedicated to creating rich content that profiles the lives and accomplishments of influential figures. My commitment to detail and storytelling drives the production of biographies that truly engage our audience. I manage all aspects of the editorial process, from conducting thorough research to crafting vivid narratives, all while ensuring the accuracy and quality of our work. At The Legit, our goal is to offer our readers comprehensive profiles that provide deep insights into the realms of business, entertainment, and more. Through diligent research and engaging storytelling, we highlight the exceptional journeys and achievements of those who both inspire and intrigue us.

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Celebrities

Naked Truth Of Sofia Franklyn – Age, Arrested, Net Worth, Wiki

Published

on

Who is Sofia Franklyn?

Sofia Franklyn was born on 21 July 1992 under the sign of Cancer, in Salt Lake City, Utah USA, and is a 27-year-old radio host, probably best recognized for co-hosting the podcast “Call Her Daddy”, along with Alexandra Cooper. Sofia is also known for being a blogger for Barstool Sports. Moreover, she is a social media sensation, known for running her official Instagram account on which she has amassed over 700,000 subscribers, as well as her official Twitter account, having more than 160,000 followers.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B8-Of_9B2HD/

How rich is she, as of now? Sofia Franklyn Net Worth

As of early 2020, Sofia Franklyn’s net worth is estimated at over $1 million, acquired largely from her successful career as a host of her own podcast. She has also increased her wealth through writing articles for a blog.

Early Life, Nationality, Ethnicity, Education

Sofia Franklyn spent her early years in her hometown of Salt Lake City, where she was raised alongside her siblings by her parents. However, she is quite secretive regarding their identities and professions, even through they could be frequently seen in her photos shared on her official account on Instagram.

Advertisement

Sofia holds American nationality, and belongs to white ethnicity. Upon matriculation, Sofia enrolled into the University of Utah, to obtain her degree in the field of Economics.

Career Beginnings

Prior to becoming known as a blogger and podcaster, Sofia spent some time working for a finance company. However, she soon quit the job, as with her creative nature as she wanted to become engaged in something more interesting. So she moved to New York City and joined the Barstool Sports blog in 2018, which made her an active member of the entertainment industry.

It is the enormously popular sports and pop culture blog, established by David Portnoy in Milton, Massachusetts, but currently based in New York City. Her first article was about exploring her own sexual adventures during her upbringing in Utah; she also wrote about the stereotypical view of sexuality in Utah in a funny way, drawing attention to herself.

Podcast “Call Her Daddy”

While she was working as a writer for the blog, Sofia shared a room with her friend Alexandra Cooper. One time, while the girls were together on vacation at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas, they engaged in a conversation on the topic of sex.

Advertisement

Their conversation was quite interesting since it began to attract audience at the bar. At some point, one man said that this chat would be a great show, which inspired girls to make a sex and dating podcast together. Sofia soon made the first episode of the podcast, along with Alexandra, and it didn’t take long until Barstool Sports made the decision to produce it, entitled “Call Her Daddy”. It is focused on explicit and taboo topics, since Sofia and Alexandra frequently discusses relationships, sexuality, embarrassing moments, and much more.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6yh9D2EmKQ

The podcast premiered on 3 October 2018, and soon debut in the Top 10 mainstay on the iTunes comedy chart.

YouTube Channel, Instagram, and Twitter of the Podcast

In January 2019, Sofia and Alexandra decided to use their popularity to enlarge the fan base of the podcast, and expand their influence across various social media platforms. They launched the official YouTube channel of the podcast, on which they uploaded the episodes, and garnered more than 180,000 subscribers within a year, and their videos over 11 million views to date.

Advertisement

Some of their most viewed videos are “Daddy Girls Rate Dick Size in the Office”, “The Daddy Girls Degrade Logan Paul”, and “LOGAN PAUL IS OUR NEW INTERN”. Furthermore, the girls launched their official Instagram account under the username ‘callherdaddy’, now having over 1.2 million followers, as well as their official Twitter account under the username ‘@callherdaddy’, with almost 200,000 followers.

Social Media Presence

In addition, Sofia runs her official Instagram account under the username ‘sofiafranklyn’, which she uses to posts selfies and other photos from her private life.

https://twitter.com/callherdaddy/status/1047489783386320900

Moreover, she is active on Twitter under the username ‘@sofiafranklyn’, on which you can follow her as well.

Sofia Franklyn Arrested

In one of the episode of the podcast “Call Her Daddy”, Sofia Franklyn described her experience with the police back in 2011 – at the time she was 20 years old. She was arrested for consumption of alcohol by a minor and public intoxication. Moreover, Sofia obstructed a police officer during the arrest, so she was also charged with interference with the arresting officer.

Advertisement

Appearance and Vital Statistics

The attractive radio host has long dark brown hair and dark brown eyes. She stands at a height of 5ft 5ins (1.65m), and her body type is slim.

Personal Life: Is She Single Or Not?

Sofia Franklyn was romantically involved in a relationship with a man whose identity has not been revealed. However, she once said that her boyfriend was a Harvard graduate. Moreover, she even shared details of their dating in an episode of the podcast. However, Sofia is currently single and completely focused on her career.

Continue Reading

Celebrities

Where is Michael Peterson now? The True Story of His Wife Death

Published

on

Who is Michael Peterson?

American novelist and convicted killer Michael Iver Peterson was born in Nashville, Tennessee USA, on 23 October 1943, meaning that Scorpio’s his zodiac sign. He’s probably known best for having been convicted of killing his second wife Kathleen Peterson; Michael was sentenced to spend his life behind bars without the possibility of parole on 10 October 2003, but was released on house arrest after $300,000 bail was paid in 2011.

Education and early life

Michael was raised alongside his sister Ann Christensen and their brothers John and Bill in Nashville, by their mother Eleanor (nee Bartolino) and father Eugene Iver Peterson; not a lot else is known about Michael’s family, because he respects their privacy.

He was mostly focused on his education while attending a local high school, while some of the activities he was into the most included creative writing, playing soccer and dancing. Michael matriculated in 1962, and then enrolled at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina; he was the editor of the university’s newspaper “The Chronicle” during his four years there, and was the president of the fraternity Sigma Nu. Michael graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in political science in 1965, and then began taking classes at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Law School.

Advertisement

Michael’s career

In 1965, Michael began working for the US Department of Defense, researching arguments in support of the US military involvement in Vietnam. The year 1968 saw Michael join the US Marine Corps, and he served in Vietnam for three years prior to being honorably discharged as a captain, after he was hit by a car and left with a disability.

In 1999, Michael claimed that he had been presented with two Purple Hearts, a Bronze Star with Valor and a Silver Star for his service in the Marine Corps, but the newspaper “News & Observer” later revealed that no records showed that Michael had won any Purple Hearts.

He and his first wife lived in Germany after he was discharged, then Michael moved back to Durham in 1987.

https://twitter.com/FukumiKimoto/status/1584666483447443457

He’s published three novels, all of which related to his time in Vietnam. His first novel “The Immortal Dragon” was published in 1983, followed by “A Time of War” in 1990, and his third “A Bitter Peace” in 2020.

Michael also co-wrote the biographical book “Operation Broken Reed”, together with Arthur L. Boyd, and “Charlie Two Shoes and the Marines of Love Company” with David Perlmutt. He also spent some time working as a columnist for the newspaper “The Herald-Sun”.

Love life and marriages

Michael married his first wife Patricia Sue in 1965, following his graduation; she taught at an elementary school on Rhein-Main Air Base in West Germany, where Michael was stationed. They had two children together, Todd and Clayton.

Advertisement

While living in Germany, Michael and Patricia befriended the Ratliff family, which comprised George and Elizabeth, and their children Martha and Margaret. After George and Elizabeth died in 1985, Michael became their children’s guardian, but he and Patricia divorced two years later, with their children staying with Patricia, while Michael, Martha and Margaret moved together to Durham. Todd and Clayton also eventually came to live with Michael.

He met successful business executive Kathleen Atwater in 1989 – they moved in together in the same year, married in 1997, and he became stepfather to Kathleen’s daughter Caitlin. The marriage ended when Kathleen died on 9 December 2001.

Kathleen’s death and Michael’s trial

Michael called the police on 9 December 2001, claiming that Kathleen was lying down on the floor unconscious, and that she had probably fallen down the stairs.

Toxicology reports showed that Kathleen had drunk some alcohol and taken the prescription drug Valium, while the autopsy showed that she had died two hours after the injuries that she had suffered. Kathleen’s sister Candace Zamperini, as well as her daughter Caitlin both believed that Michael had nothing to do with Kathleen’s death, but they changed their mind after learning that Michael’s bisexual.

Michael was accused of murder, as the autopsy showed that no fall could’ve resulted in Kathleen’s injuries; the prosecution claimed that Kathleen found out about Michael’s gay life, which he had tried to hide, and that he wanted to take her $1.5 million life insurance. It was then revealed that Michael’s friend from Germany Elizabeth Ratliff had also died from similar injuries as Kathleen, and was also found at the foot of her staircase; a second autopsy of Elizabeth’s buried body was ordered, and her cause of death was then officially changed to ‘homicide’. Michael wasn’t charged with Elizabeth’s murder.

He was found guilty of killing his wife on 10 October 2003, and sentenced to spend life behind bars. Michael’s lawyers filed a motion for a new trial on 12 November 2008, but it was denied. It was in the second half of 2009 that a new theory about Kathleen’s death surfaced; it was claimed that an owl had attacked her outside, causing some of her injuries, and that she then fell down and hit her head after running from the owl inside the house. The investigators found two microscopic owl feathers when re-examining Kathleen’s hair.

Advertisement

North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper began investigating the SBI analyst Duane Deaver in the first half of 2010, and Duane was suspended in August of the same year; he was the lead witness against Michael at his trial, and it was revealed that Duane had presented false evidence in 34 cases. Due to these new findings, Michael was released on a $300,000 bail on 16 December 2011, and placed under house arrest.

He entered the Alford plea on 24 February 2017, and was sentenced to seven years in jail, but because he had already served more than that, he was thus released.

The documentary series about the entire case, “The Staircase” was released in October 2004, while its sequel “The Staircase 2: The Last Chance” premiered in November 2012.

Interesting facts and hobbies

Michael’s been staying away from the media’s attention since he was freed in 2017, with the exception of when he published his novel “A Bitter Peace” in 2020.

He can rarely be seen spending time outdoors, as he enjoys the peace of his home; it’s been revealed that Michael no longer has a staircase at his house.

He was physically highly active during his 20s, 30s and 40s, as he worked out at the gym and played a number of sports.

Michael’s a huge fan of American actor and moviemaker Clint Eastwood, while some of his favorite movies include “The Outlaw Josey Wales”, “High Plains Drifter” and “Play Misty for Me”.

Advertisement

Height, eyes and wealth

Michael’s age is 79. He has brown eyes and grey hair, is 5ft 9ins (1.75m) tall and weighs around 150lbs (68kgs).

Michael’s net worth’s been estimated at over $100,000, as of April 2023.

Continue Reading

Celebrities

Lina Medina: How a Five-Year-Old Girl Became a Mother in 1939

Published

on

Who is Lina Medina?

Peruvian Lina Marcela Medina de Jurado was born in Ticrapo, Castrovirreyna Province, Peru, on 23 September 1933, making Libra her zodiac sign. She’s probably only known for being the youngest mother in human history, as she was less than six years old on 14 May 1939, when she gave birth to her son. Lina was a few months away from turning five when she was impregnated, and it’s believed that it was the rare condition ‘precocious puberty’ that led to this.

Family and pregnancy

Lina and her eight siblings were raised in Ticrapo, by their mother Victoria Losea who was a housewife, and father Tiburelo Medina who was a silversmith.

She was five years and several months old when her father drove her to a hospital in Pisco; the doctors initially believed that Lina had a tumor, due to her abdominal size, but it was then revealed that she was seven months pregnant. Many countries were interested in covering the story; the newspaper “San Antonio Light” reported that a midwife association in Peru wanted Lina to be admitted to a national maternity hospital, while an American movie studio had offered $5,000 for filming rights.

Advertisement

Lina gave birth to her son Gerardo via caesarean section, and the doctors then learned that her sexual organs were fully mature; Gerardo weighed 6lbs (2.7kgs), and was named after Lina’s doctor,

The boy’s father

The identity of Gerardo’s father remains undisclosed. It was widely believed in Peru that Lina had been raped, and her father was even arrested on suspicion that he had done it, but was released as no evidence had been provided to support this. Lina hasn’t revealed the name of her son’s father to this day, and it’s believed that she might not actually know it.

Although the boy lived with Lina and believed that she was his sister, he was eventually raised by Lina’s doctor Gerardo Lozada; he had no health issues while growing up, but was 40 when he died from bone marrow disease in 1979.

Lina’s career

Lina matriculated from local high school in 1952, and although she hasn’t spoken about her further education, it’s believed that she studied at a medical school, from which she graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in 1956.

Lina was then employed at Dr. Gerardo Lozada’s clinic as a secretary, and was thus also able to spend more time with her son.

YouTube videos

Numerous videos about Lina have been uploaded onto YouTube by various users, with most of these covering her strange pregnancy, while others aim to provide additional details about her later life. We’re going to mention three of the most popular YouTube vides about Lina, which’ve contributed to her internet popularity.

Advertisement

Her #1 video “World’s Youngest Mother, Age 5 Lina Medina” has been watched more than 20 million times since 19 April 2014, when it was uploaded by Worlds Biggest; it aims to cover Lina’s pregnancy, as well as her son’s later life.

Lina’s second most popular video – “Top 5 Youngest Mother In The World” – was uploaded by 100M on 6 November 2020, and has been watched over 6.4 million times; it covers Lina’s pregnancy, as well as the pregnancies of four other girls who were less than 10 years old when they gave birth.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FzNJs2J8S4

Her #3 video, “Así luce hoy la madre más joven de la historia. Tenía 5 años” was uploaded by Badabun on 7 January 2018, and has since been watched close to six million times; it’s a Spanish-language video about Lina, her pregnancy and her son’s (supposed) father.

Love life and relationships

Lina’s love life remains a mystery to this day, and she’s even been able to keep the identity of her son’s father hidden.

She married non-celebrity Peruvian Raul Jurado sometime in the ‘70s, and gave birth to their son in 1972 – Lina had a normal pregnancy, and didn’t have problems giving birth. She hasn’t spoken about how and when she and Raul met, though most of her fans believe that he was her high school sweetheart; it’s also believed that Raul passed away sometime in the first half of the 2010s, but as Lina’s staying away from the media’s attention, this hasn’t been confirmed.

Advertisement

There are also many people on the internet who claim that they know Lina, and that she and Raul divorced in the second half of the ‘80s; these same people claim that she met another man when she was 55, and that the two eventually married, but none of this has been addressed by her.

Lina seems to be married to Raul Jurado as of April 2023, and they have a son together, while she also has a son to whom she gave birth when she was five.

Interesting facts and hobbies

Lina’s never been interested in making money out of her story, and has turned down numerous offers from newspapers and magazines, including “Reuters” in 2002.

It’s still today believed by many doctors and experts that Lina’s pregnancy was a hoax, but a number of doctors have still been able to prove that it was true, thanks to X rays and biopsies; the only photo that can be found on the internet about the entire case features Lina when she was seven and a half months pregnant, and was standing naked.

She grew up being physically active and took part in various activities while attending a local high school, while she was also an avid dancer.

Lina was passionate about travelling during her 20s and 30s, but then preferred the peace of her home over flying to other countries.

Advertisement

Height, eyes and wealth

Lina’s 89 years old. She has brown eyes and medium long grey hair, is 5ft 6ins (1.68m) tall and weighs around 130lbs (60kgs).

Lina’s net worth’s been estimated at over $100,000, as of April 2023.

Continue Reading

Recommended

Lists1 hour ago

Who Killed Glen Brittner? “The Hoarders” Star’s Murder Remains Unsolved

Glen Brittner “Hoarders” fans and members of the general public have been haunted by the mysterious death of Glen Brittner...

Lists7 hours ago

What happened to Megan Danielle on American Idol?

Contents1 Megan Danielle2 Iam Tongi Megan Danielle Millions of viewers tuned in to the Season 21 finale of “American Idol”...

Lists13 hours ago

Weight Loss Journey of Vannessa Cross from 1000-Lb Best Friends

Contents1 Vannessa Cross2 Meghan Crumpler Vannessa Cross The incredible success of shows such as “My 600-lb Life” and “1000-lb Sisters”,...

Lists15 hours ago

Is Caroline Manzo Coming Back to ‘RHONJ’?

Caroline Manzo Reality TV star and entrepreneur Caroline Manzo, became the talk of the town after swearing that she would...

Lists19 hours ago

Who is the new chess star, Anna Cramling?

Chess is becoming mainstream, primarily through players with charismatic personalities who stream the board game on platforms such as Twitch...

Lists23 hours ago

What is Ricky Van Shelton up to today? What happened to him?

Ricky Van Shelton is a retired country music superstar, who spent three decades in the industry. He found early recognition and...

Lists1 day ago

What happened to Miranda Lambert? Why did she quit music?

Fans are still reeling after hearing that Miranda Lambert, a well-known country music star, is quitting her music career after...

Lists1 day ago

How is Rent-A-Grandma doing after ‘Shark Tank?’

“Shark Tank” follows four to five investors, some of whom return season after season, looking for the right business to...

Actors1 day ago

Where is Lacey Wildd today? The woman had QQQ Cup Surgery

Contents1 Who is Lacey Wildd?2 The Riches of Lacey Wildd3 Early Life and Plastic Surgery Beginnings4 Breast Augmentations and Other...

Celebrities2 days ago

Naked Truth Of Sofia Franklyn – Age, Arrested, Net Worth, Wiki

Contents1 Who is Sofia Franklyn?2 How rich is she, as of now? Sofia Franklyn Net Worth3 Early Life, Nationality, Ethnicity,...

Lists2 days ago

How is Bethany Stout of ‘My 600-Lb Life’ doing now?

Bethany Stout embarked on her rocky weight-loss journey in the eighth season of “My 600-lb Life.” Viewers may remember how...

Actors2 days ago

Where is Linda Kaye Henning today? Net Worth, Children, Bio

Linda Kaye Henning is an American actress, dancer and singer, born on 16 September 1944, in Los Angeles, California USA....

Trending