from Gay Parents To Be

Hi there,

Is it just me, or did the month of February pass us by in a blink? After the craziness of January, I feel like I only just found my footing, and it’s already March. If only this were a Leap Year! 

Even without that one extra day, we’ve been working hard to support you - real parents - wherever you are in your family building journey. From the education stage of the process (which we know can be incredibly overwhelming), to the actual nuts and bolts of family building - and beyond - we’re here as your resource, and I’m so grateful that you keep reading along! 

I mentioned “wherever you are in the process” above. One of my favorite things about this newsletter is that I’m able to reach a whole spectrum of moms, dads, and prospective parents, and (hopefully) provide something for everyone. Check out our latest links from this month:

• If you’re just getting started...and wondering why you even need to see an “infertility” specialist
• If you’re considering surrogacy... and wondering how many times you’re actually going to need to travel
• If a loved one or a gestational carrier is going through treatment or expecting...and you want to support Black-owned businesses (You can buy for yourself too, I won’t tell)
• If you’re already a parent, looking to add to your little’s library... we have the book list for you

Keep reading for real parenting stories, LGBTQ+ news, and more.

I’m trying something new with this Gay Parenting Voices section this month. Instead of focusing on stories that we wrote for you, I’ll be focusing on real parents and parents-to-be. 

First up are expecting dads Adam and Dan, who were kind enough to share their story about building their own family with Gay Parents To Be and RMA of Connecticut. Here are the highlights:

• Married in 2017, always wanted a family
• Knew that Dan wanted a girl and Adam wanted a boy - what to do?
• Fast forward through some surrogacy highs and lows (seriously, you won’t want to miss this one)
• Dan and Adam are expecting twins! Click through for the full story, plus their advice for any parents about to start the process

Speaking of highlights, here are my social media sweeties from this month - each of these families made possible with love, intention, and the help of our team right here at Gay Parents To Be & RMA of Connecticut. 

I love sharing stories, family photos, and more on our blog and our feed - feel free to email me directly if you have a story to share. ❤️

Read All About It  📰

As you probably know, members of the LGBTQ+ community often struggle to find comparable care and equitable insurance coverage for treatments that are covered for their heterosexual counterparts. 

Over the past month or so, there have been a few big wins for the LGBTQ+ community, especially when it comes to insurance coverage for family building. Check out our recap below, or click through to watch a video version featuring Lisa Rosenthal, our patient advocate.

• 🌲In Portland, OR, the city council unanimously passed legislation making fertility and family planning health benefits more accessible for LGBTQ+ city employees, by authorizing the use of a third party policy provider.
• ⚖️Compensated surrogacy became legal in New York state! We’re still figuring out just how this will impact intended parents and surrogates in that state, but this is a huge win for many prospective parents living in the Big Apple. Read more about the legal history of surrogacy in this article. 
• 🗽New York state made changes that impact how quickly members of the LGBTQ+ community may access necessary insurance coverage. Insurers have been directed to provide coverage immediately, rather than having patients first meet out-of-pocket maxes or time requirements.

While we are still working to understand exactly how these changes will impact people going through treatment right now and couples living outside of the New York and Portland areas, it’s safe to say that these steps are moving us in the right direction. 

If you have more questions about LGBTQ+ insurance, surrogacy, or how any of the changes above might impact you personally, please feel free to reach out, and we’ll work together to get them answered. 

Sharing Your Voice 🌈📢

What’s violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange, and re(a)d all over? My bad puns, and The Voice. If you, or someone you know, is looking for LGBTQ+ family building or parenting advice, feel free to forward them this edition of The Voice, or tell them to reach out to me directly at emma@gayparentstobe.com. Helping you find answers and information is the best part of my day. 

Best, 

🌈Emma - Editor-In-Chief,

Gay Parents To Be

She/her/hers