Gay Parents To Be | Pride News

Hi there,

I think it’s safe to say that Pride looks a little bit different for all of us this year. More mindful, more socially distanced, and - dare I say - more connected, but definitely different. And different is not a bad thing.

You may have noticed that we took a step back on social media last week. We muted our Voice to allow space for others to amplify the conversation around equity, inclusivity, and social justice - but we also used that time to do some work internally. I’ve included the text of our message to the Gay Parents To Be community below, and you can click through to the post on IG here.

We have been listening, learning, and reflecting on how we can do our part to elevate black #LGBTQ voices and stories. This is a conversation that needs to be continued, and we are committed to that dialogue, even as we begin to post more family building and Pride-related content.

Over the course of this month, and the months to come, we plan to highlight black LGBTQ organizations, individuals, and resources as we continue to educate ourselves. During #Pride month, we are reminded that the history of the #LGBTQrights movement is intrinsically linked with the black community, and that this is a time to honor all those who have helped move the needle towards equality in this country. We are also reminded that the black and queer communities continue to face injustice every day in our classrooms, on our streets, and unfortunately, even in our healthcare institutions. We have long supported the work of organizations such as the HRC, GLAAD, and Family Equality, and continue to stand with them as they work to combat inequality in its many forms throughout our society. As a program at RMA of Connecticut, we also understand that the fertility and infertility journeys of black singles and couples present their own set of challenges. We hope to highlight more of those stories in the months and years to come.

While we will do our best to keep educating ourselves, we understand that we don’t have all the answers - or even the right questions to ask at times. As we continue to expand our conversations about social justice and family building for the LGBTQ community, please feel free to let us know if there is an individual, organization, or question that you would like to see highlighted on our platform.

The same message goes for you. If you have something to say, we are here to listen, and make a change. I devoted a whole blog post to talking about how to honor Pride this year with the gravitas it deserves, but at the same time I can’t help but celebrate the vibrant community of Voices that I am able to reach through our website, our blog, and this monthly email. I’m so grateful for your attention, and grateful that I’m able to keep growing our Gay Parents To Be community each day. Since we have a whole Pride guide full of good news, ways to give back, articles, and events, this month I’m going to switch things up, and show you a few of the ways that I’m personally bringing joy to Pride at home this year.

In case you don’t know me, I’m Emma! I’m the editor-in-chief of content for Gay Parents To Be, and I’ve been working from home in CT for the past few months. While I’m doing that, I’m also…

🌈👟Planning to run a Pride 5K (virtually, of course)

🌈📚Making my way through this Pride reading list. Two of my current faves are Forcing the Spring (about the fight for marriage equality in the US) and Tasty Pride (because I need as much recipe inspiration as I can get after 3 months cooking at home)

🌈🎧Listening to a TON of free webinars and podcasts - check out our full list of virtual Pride events here

🏳️‍🌈😻Showing my spirit with our small at-home Pride flag, which my cat absolutely loves. Her name is Rabbit, and she’s adorable.

I know that Pride this year looks different, but I think that finding new ways to deepen our connections with one another is a wonderful way to honor this month, and our community moving forward.

Since the rainbow is one of our most cherished Pride symbols, I’m going to leave you with this graphic I shared on Instagram a few months ago, which a few folks have been sharing lately. I originally created this for Valentine’s Day, but I think that we all deserve a lot of extra love (and candy) right now.

No matter who you are, who you love, or how you identify, thank you for sharing in this community with us. Love is love is love, and love wins.

From me to you, honoring Pride ❤️🌈

🎵 If I Could Turn Back Time 🎵

In honor of Pride month, the Gay Parents To Be staff has been participating in so many insightful webinars, virtual TV appearances, and even Instagram Lives to discuss family building for the LGBTQ community. We’ve also compiled a list of external events for individuals and families looking to celebrate pride at home.

Bookmark Our Pride Guide for an easy to reference calendar, plus updates throughout the month!

We’re almost halfway through the month, and unfortunately we can’t turn back time (sorry, Cher), but you can still find recordings of past events below, and even more to look forward to in the weeks to come.

• 🌈👨‍👨‍👧‍👦LGBTQ Family Building for Dads to Be with Circle Surrogacy: Dr. L hopped online with Circle Surrogacy to discuss the ins and outs of an IVF & surrogacy journey. Plus, they were joined by two dads who shared an amazing surrogacy story. Recording here.
• 🌈👩‍👩‍👧‍👦👨‍👨‍👧‍👦LGBTQ Parents To Be support group - Lisa Schuman, LSCW, and Lisa Rosenthal came together on IG Live to discuss a new support group offered virtually for anyone trying to build their family. Watch the live, or sign up for the group here.
• 🌈👨‍👨‍👧‍👦👩‍👩‍👧‍👦Choosing Your Path to Parenthood : LGBTQ+ Family Building Options - Dr. L was joined by some other experts in the LGBTQ family building space to talk about paths to parenthood for all. Don’t worry, you can access the recording here.

One of the events we’re most excited to be a part of is this upcoming webinar sponsored by NASDAQ (you may have heard of them) and Progyny, where they’ll be talking about inclusive family building benefits for LGBTQ singles and couples. If you’ve started or are considering building your family, this is the webinar for you. For more info and to sign up today, check out this article!

🏊 Just Keep Swimming 🏊

Also known as my mantra during the past few months of sheltering in place. It's also the philosophy that we here at a fertility clinic hope your sperm are following. 

Shoutout to all our cisgender dads-to-be, because its Men’s Health Month! The articles below are for you if you’re wondering if you should get your swimmers tested, if you have questions about sperm or sperm testing, or if you’re just wondering what those first steps in the family building process are.

For cisgender moms-to-be and trans parents-to-be, sperm affects every biological family building journey, so you should read up, too!

🎵 Got To Be Real 🎵

I spoke a lot at the beginning of this email about how I’m honoring pride this month, but if there’s anything I left out or that you feel needs rephrasing, please feel free to respond to this email and let me know. I’m proud to be the voice behind the Voice, and I appreciate any and all feedback 💌

And in the spirit of sharing and celebrating, switching out my headshot for one shot from last year’s NYC World Pride (which was definitely a celebration).

With love and Pride,

🌈Emma - Editor-In-Chief, Gay Parents To Be

She/her/hers