By Yanir “Yan” Dekel–
Hundreds of gay men are expected to gather at the Marines’ Memorial Club & Hotel to learn how they can have children through egg donation and surrogacy. The organization’s renowned conferences, which now are held in locations such as Chicago, Atlanta, Fort Lauderdale, Brussels, and Berlin, are modeled on a program that started at New York’s LGBT Center 18 years ago. They evolved into a three-day event where the organization’s staff and board members, the majority of whom are fathers or former surrogates, share a wealth of knowledge with gay men aspiring to become fathers.
In what is by now a San Francisco tradition, on March 22–24, 2024, the nonprofit Men Having Babies (MHB) is teaming up with Our Family Coalition to bring to California its internationally acclaimed Surrogacy Conference & Gay Parenting Expo.
Attendees benefit from peer guidance, expert advice, information about financing, grants and resources, inspirational testimonies, and an opportunity to meet dozens of reputable surrogacy providers. Other sessions include specific guidance for single dads-to-be, and shared perspectives of gay dads, surrogates, an egg donor, and a discussion panel of fathers, surrogates, and children who were born via surrogacy.
With extensive education, financial assistance, and advocacy outreach, MHB is a leading voice for equality and equity for gay fathers in the United States and beyond. The organization champions an Ethical Framework to ensure that the rights and long-term wellbeing of all involved parties are safeguarded. MHB also strives to broaden legal and financial accessibility to ethical parenting options for gay men through a robust financial assistance program, and advocacy for legislation and other initiatives to remove discriminatory practices and advance Fertility Equity (https://tinyurl.com/yc7hjecn).
In California, MHB is working to advance legislation along with a coalition of other nonprofits such as RESOLVE, Equality California, and Our Family Coalition, which could make the cost of building a family for gay men considerably lower. The bill (SB 729) would mandate the coverage of IVF treatments for large group health plans, using an updated definition of infertility that includes not just reference to a medical disease or condition, but also a personal status. The bill passed the California State Senate by an overwhelming majority and is now pending before the Assembly Appropriations Committee, and the coalition is working hard to generate public support to help its passage.
MHB’s advocacy will be reflected in a session entitled “Social Attitudes Towards Surrogacy,” which will examine surrogacy ethics and cultural biases that currently allow legislation and practices that discriminate against gay fathers. Other sessions will be dedicated to ways in which prospective fathers can make the process more affordable. Topics will include how to budget smartly, how to take advantage of financial assistance and member discounts by MHB, and opportunities that are available to receive coverage of surrogacy-related medical costs as a part of employee benefits or state-mandated insurance.
The Men Having Babies Surrogacy Conference and Expo is in San Francisco, March 22–24, at the Marines’ Memorial Club & Hotel. For more information and tickets: https://menhavingbabies.org/
Yanir “Yan” Dekel is the founder, producer, and co-host of the podcast “Daddy Squared: The Gay Dads Podcast.” He is the Community & Communications Coordinator at Men Having Babies.
Men Having Babies
Published on March 7, 2024
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