Will Our BFF Be Our Surrogate?

Mohsin, Matthew, and Dahlia are best friends and hosts of the podcast "Tiny Huge Decisions,” where they explore in depth the possibility of Dahlia becoming a surrogate for Mohsin and Matthew. They sat down with Jaimie to discuss the questions they’ve grappled with in the decision-making process, including the impact on their friendship, the legal and emotional aspects of surrogacy in the UK, and how their cultural and religious backgrounds play into all of it. They also delve into the importance of having strong female role models in their children's lives and the potential long-term relationship between Dahlia and the child. We get deep and personal on the intricacies of surrogacy and also delve into the complexities of friendship, family, and personal identity with these candid and fun BFFs. "Surrogacy with a close friend adds new layers and complexities to the process." - Matthew 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 Thanks to California Cryobank (code QUEERFAM),  Our Shelves (code QUEERFAM) and our Patreon supporters.  Interested in advertising? Check out our packages here. Follow and Find Tiny Huge Decisions Watch Video Episodes right now on YouTube 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   Chapters: | 0:00:00 | Introduction to the podcast and sponsors. | | 0:00:30 | Mohsin discusses the challenges of being gay in a religious and cultural family. | | 0:01:40 | Introduction to the podcast "Tiny Huge Decisions" and its premise. | | 0:02:47 | Behind the scenes info about Mohsin and Dahlia's friendship and Mohsin and Matthew's relationship. | | 0:04:13 | Ally voicemail from Shephathia asking about a term for children of LGBTQ parents. | | 0:05:43 | Answering Shephathia’s question about the term "queer spawn" for children of LGBTQ parents. | | 0:07:09 | Request for listeners to reach out and share their thoughts and stories. | | 0:08:19 | Introduction of the podcast hosts and their backgrounds. | | 0:09:46 | Summary of the podcast "Tiny Huge Decisions" and its exploration of surrogacy. | | 0:10:37 | Discussion about the relevance of Dahlia's work as a medical anthropologist. | | 0:11:05 | Introduction and background of the friendship between Mohsin and Dahlia | | 0:12:27 | Mohsin's coming out story and how Dahlia was the first person he told | | 0:14:06 | Dahlia's reaction to Mohsin's coming out | | 0:16:06 | Mohsin's inner turmoil and struggles with faith, culture, and family | | 0:18:27 | Matthew's coming out experience in a small town in Ireland | | 0:19:03 | Dahlia's observation of Mohsin's transformation after coming out | | 0:19:32 | Mohsin and Matthew's meeting and marriage | | 0:20:08 | Discussions about family building in their relationship | | 0:20:35 | Comparing their backgrounds and the sense of community from big families | | 0:20:35 | Age difference and discussions about having kids | | 0:21:09 | Importance of discussing family building intentions early on | | 0:21:41 | Considerations and challenges of LGBTQ+ family building | | 0:22:39 | Dahlia offers to be a surrogate as a joke | | 0:23:23 | Dahlia's proposal is taken seriously and discussed further | | 0:24:13 | Excitement and research about surrogacy options | | 0:25:34 | Decision to focus on surrogacy before exploring other options | | 0:26:10 | Podcast idea to have dedicated discussions and do research | | 0:27:46 | Structured conversations with experts and disciplined approach | | 0:29:33 | Dahlia's husband supports her decision without involvement in discussions | | 0:30:52 | Surrogacy in the UK and differences from the US | | 0:31:08 | Introduction to surrogacy in the UK | | 0:31:24 | Differences between UK and US surrogacy laws and costs | | 0:32:14 | Legal differences between UK and US surrogacy | | 0:33:19 | Discussion on the process and agreements in UK surrogacy | | 0:34:51 | Challenges of being friends and surrogacy | | 0:36:16 | Importance of sharing real-time experiences and negotiations | | 0:36:56 | Complexities of long-term relationship with the child | | 0:38:11 | Importance of strong female role models in their children's lives | | 0:39:34 | Plan in case the answer is no revealed in episode 7 | | 0:40:32 | Where to find the podcast and social media handles | | 0:41:35 | Thanking sponsor California Cryobank | | 0:41:56 | Matthew: Love is love | | 0:41:58 | Jamie: Enjoyed the episode, listen/watch another | | 0:42:23 | Jamie: Support show on Patreon, bonus content, love and adoration | Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy