From Stigma to Celebration: Embracing Disability on the Journey to Parenthood

Jennifer and Vanessa are in the middle of creating a family as a lesbian couple, yet Vanessa's recent hysterectomy and Jennifer's epilepsy add intricate layers of complexity to their journey. Faced with legal uncertainties surrounding adoption as an LGBTQIA+ couple, they shifted towards using donor sperm at a bank, only to confront profound societal biases and systemic hurdles in the fertility industry. The conversation delves deep into these challenges, fostering an argument for true inclusion in family planning, irrespective of disability or sexual orientation. Their narrative serves as a compelling call to action, advocating for the fundamental right of ALL individuals to embrace parenthood on their own terms. Don't miss out on the full episode to hear Jennifer and Vanessa's compelling narrative that emphasizes love, choice, and the pursuit of a family that defies traditional boundaries. Subscribe to The Queer Family Podcast for more enlightening content exploring the diverse tapestries of queer families. 🏳️‍🌈Thanks to Pregnant Together,  ⁠⁠Our Shelves⁠⁠ (code QUEERFAM) and our ⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠ supporters. 🏳️‍🌈Interested in advertising? Check out our packages ⁠⁠here.⁠⁠ 🏳️‍🌈Key Takeaways:🏳️‍🌈  *Jennifer and Vanessa challenge the concept of ruling out potential sperm donors based on medical history, advocating for the rights of individuals with disabilities to become parents. *They stress the importance of having more choices in donor selection to reflect broader human experiences and conditions, including those of the disabled community. *Issues with the fertility industry highlight the significant underrepresentation and medical challenges that come with queerness and disability. *The couple underscores the struggle with decision-making due to the vast amount of choices and stress the importance of ultimately following their hearts. *Their story is a call to action for more inclusive practices within family-building processes and the broader acknowledgment of queer parents. 🏳️‍🌈Quotes:🏳️‍🌈 *”I wanted to make the point that not everybody wants to weed out certain genetics, and who are the banks or the powers in charge to say which donors get through versus which donors don't?" Jennifer and Vanessa *”To hear somebody say you shouldn't choose a donor based on their medical history sounds to us like, well, then you're not qualified to be parents because of your medical history." Jennifer and Vanessa *”I think just saying because you have a genetic predisposition for something doesn't mean that you should not have the opportunity to contribute your genetic material." Jennifer and Vanessa *”As queer people, we're a marginalized group that's been overlooked... It's just up to the individuals building a family to make those decisions for themselves and their families." Jennifer and Vanessa *”We do have a concern that's like, well, what if we have an Id donor and our kid turns 18 and they can meet their donor? We don't know if that person is going to be homophobic." Jennifer and Vanessa 🏳️‍🌈If you like the episode, make sure to leave us a review and support The Queer Family Podcast on⁠⁠ Patreon ⁠⁠for as low as $2/month! 🏳️‍🌈We want to hear from you! Call us: 646-470-1840 ⁠⁠thequeerfamilypodcast.com⁠⁠ ⁠[email protected]⁠⁠ ⁠⁠IG⁠⁠/⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠/⁠⁠FB⁠⁠/⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠/⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠: @thequeerfamilypodcast 🏳️‍🌈Watch Video Episodes right now on ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠ and on ⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠ 🏳️‍🌈Order the #ITOCT book based on this podcast on ⁠⁠Amazon⁠⁠, ⁠⁠IndieBound⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Audible⁠⁠. 🏳️‍🌈Edited by Jerson Barajas. Theme song: ⁠⁠Tiffany Topol⁠⁠\ Logo art: Daneen Stevenato. 🏳️‍🌈Buy our merch ⁠⁠here.⁠⁠ 🏳️‍🌈For a full transcript of this episode and more info about the host visit our ⁠⁠website⁠ Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy