Sam & Laura Abbey are BACK, y’all. The last time they were on the show it was still called If These Ovaries Could Talk, they only had one kid, and their Bravo reality show moment had just helped catapult them into queer family-building visibility.

Seven years and two very boy-ish boys later, we’re catching up on IVF paid out of pocket (twice), using the same sperm donor for both kids, what happens when you over- or under-buy sperm, and yes—having to literally sign paperwork to “dispose” of a leftover vial while a straight guy wrestles with the “morality” of it.

We get into raising sensitive, muddy, train-obsessed boys in a queer household that doesn’t subscribe to gender norms, ongoing origin-story conversations with their donor-conceived kids, giving boys permission to cry, and helping them navigate comments about pride flags and two-mom families. Plus, Laura shares her new project, Unseen, a queer millennial life podcast from Pink Robin Shop about art, culture, motherhood, and growing up queer with basically zero representation.

If you’re navigating donor conception, raising boys in a queer family, or figuring out how to talk to your kids about their origin stories without making it a big talk, this one’s for you.

🏳️‍🌈 Key Takeaways

• The “talk” is never one talk.
• Donor-conception conversations evolve with age — kids should always know their story.
• Buy more sperm than you think you’ll need.
• Limited vials + failed IUIs/IVF = strategic (and emotional) math.
• Kids come out who they are.
• Two queer moms, zero gender norms… and still: trains, mud, dinosaurs, chaos.
• Boys deserve big feelings.
• Crying, naming emotions, and sensitivity are celebrated — not shut down.
• Two-mom families require extra “coming out.”
• Pride flags and visibility can put kids in situations they didn’t choose; support matters.
• Community changes everything.
• Growing up with other two-mom families normalizes their world and builds resilience.

🏳️‍🌈 About the Guest(s)🏳️‍🌈

• Sam & Laura Abbey are a married lesbian couple and moms to two energetic. They first stepped into the spotlight on a Bravo reality show back in 2013–2014, where their wedding and early fertility journey were documented at a time when just being a same-sex couple was considered “enough of a storyline. They’ve been openly sharing the ups, downs, and hilarious chaos of boy-mom, two-mom life ever since over on Instagram at @theabbeyfam.
• Laura is also a writer and educator who now teaches college writing and co-hosts Unseen: Queer Millennial Life Unfiltered, a podcast from Pink Robin Shop that explores art, culture, parenthood, and growing up queer in a world that didn’t exactly roll out the rainbow carpet.

🏳️‍🌈 Thanks to our sponsors!

• California Cryobank If you’re listening to this show, there’s a good chance you’re building your family the queer way — and might need a little help in the sperm department. 🩵 Use code QUEERFAM25 at cryobank.com for a FREE Level 2 subscription to their donor catalog!

•Be Parent Surrogacy Be Parent oversees the creation of family through surrogacy and IVF, from the very beginning, extending support even well after birth. Mention The Queer Family Podcast to receive $2000 of your treatment!

🏳️‍🌈 Book with GWK's Spring Break Cruise Vacation! Join Jaimie and her family (and other LGBTQIA+ families) on a 3 night cruise in the Bahamas. Be sure to mention that you heard about it here! Click that link ➡️ https://travelbrilliant.net/mbg/gwk-spring-break-2026/

🏳️‍🌈 Resources Mentioned

Follow Sam & Laura on Instagram: [@theabbeyfam]

Listen to Unseen: Queer Millennial Life Unfiltered

• Website: Pink Robin Shop – Unseen podcast
• Available wherever you get your podcasts

Jaimie’s book: If These Ovaries Could Talk: The Things We’ve Learned About Making an LGBTQ Family (yes, the Abbeys are in it!)

🏳️‍🌈 Interested in advertising? Email [email protected]

🎧 Loved this episode?

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OR become a paid subscriber through our RedCircle page for bonus episodes and one-time or recurring donations:

🔗 redcircle.com/thequeerfamilypodcast/exclusive-content

🏳️‍🌈 What resonated most with you?

Drop a comment, DM us, or email [email protected]—we love hearing your stories!

🏳️‍🌈 Let’s Connect!

Find us on IG, TikTok, Bluesky, & YouTube: @thequeerfamilypodcast 🏳️‍🌈 Watch full episodes on YouTube

🏳️‍🌈 Order the If These Ovaries Could Talk book 

🏳️‍🌈 Edited by: Jerson Barajas 🏳️‍🌈 Theme Song by: Tiffany Topol 🏳️‍🌈 Logo by: Daneen Stevenato 🏳️‍🌈 Shop merch here. 🏳️‍🌈 Full transcript & episode info available on our website

🗳️ VOTE. 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ ADVOCATE. 🍼 BUILD QUEER FAMILIES.

The information shared in this episode is for educational purposes only and not a substitute for professional advice. Always consult a trusted professional for your specific situation!

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-queer-family-podcast/exclusive-content

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Midwife, parent, nurse, educator, and proud Palestinian Ash joins Jaimie for a powerful, expansive conversation that connects queer birth work, liberation, bodily autonomy, and the politics of modern healthcare. From becoming a parent before coming into their trans identity, to the crisis inside U.S. obstetrics, to creating community-centered birth education for queer & trans families, Ash brings depth, clarity, and truth. The episode also touches on Ash’s ties to Palestine, why so many people are re-examining the narrative they were taught, and how to learn, help, and show up with intention.

🏳️‍🌈 Key Takeaways

• Birth is not inherently dangerous — but our systems are flawed.
• Rising U.S. gestational mortality rates are tied to financial incentives, outdated policies, and cultural fear.
• Where you feel safest is where you birth best.
• Stress pathways interrupt labor; safety & comfort matter more than location.
• Queer & trans people need trauma-informed preparation.
• Education + community before labor creates resilience when navigating misgendering or assumptions in hospitals.
• Intentional parenting is a queer superpower.
• Living outside the norms forces us to question, rebuild, and parent with intention.
• Liberation is interconnected.
• Ash links birth work to Palestinian liberation, colonial separation, and reclaiming humanity.
• Learning about Palestine doesn’t have to be overwhelming.
• Start with Palestinian voices. Complexity is often used to keep people disengaged.

🏳️‍🌈 About the Guest(s)🏳️‍🌈

• Ash (they/them) is a Trans Palestinian educator, speaker & midwife whose work centers birth justice and community care. They teach accessible, queer- and trans-inclusive childbirth classes through Embodied Birth Class and speak widely about physiologic birth, medical racism, and creating safer, more liberated birth experiences for all families.

🏳️‍🌈 Thanks to our sponsors!

• California Cryobank If you’re listening to this show, there’s a good chance you’re building your family the queer way — and might need a little help in the sperm department. 🩵 Use code QUEERFAM25 at cryobank.com for a FREE Level 2 subscription to their donor catalog!

•Be Parent Surrogacy Be Parent oversees the creation of family through surrogacy and IVF, from the very beginning, extending support even well after birth. Mention The Queer Family Podcast to receive $2000 of your treatment!

🏳️‍🌈 Book with GWK's Spring Break Cruise Vacation! Join Jaimie and her family (and other LGBTQIA+ families) on a 3 night cruise in the Bahamas. Be sure to mention that you heard about it here! Click that link ➡️ https://travelbrilliant.net/mbg/gwk-spring-break-2026/

🏳️‍🌈 Resources Mentioned

• Ash’s Website: www.embodiedbirthclass.com • Join their mailing list for upcoming classes and events.
• Ash’s Instagram • @embodied.birth • @queertabletops
• The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine — Rashid Khalidi
• Palestine: A Four Thousand Year History — Nur Masalha
• Works by historian Ilan Pappé

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🎧 Loved this episode?

Support The Queer Family Podcast on Patreon for exclusive bonus content and help keep these stories alive!

OR become a paid subscriber through our RedCircle page for bonus episodes and one-time or recurring donations:

🔗 redcircle.com/thequeerfamilypodcast/exclusive-content

🏳️‍🌈 What resonated most with you?

Drop a comment, DM us, or email [email protected]—we love hearing your stories!

🏳️‍🌈 Let’s Connect!

Find us on IG, TikTok, Bluesky, & YouTube: @thequeerfamilypodcast 🏳️‍🌈 Watch full episodes on YouTube

🏳️‍🌈 Order the If These Ovaries Could Talk book 

🏳️‍🌈 Edited by: Jerson Barajas 🏳️‍🌈 Theme Song by: Tiffany Topol 🏳️‍🌈 Logo by: Daneen Stevenato 🏳️‍🌈 Shop merch here. 🏳️‍🌈 Full transcript & episode info available on our website

🗳️ VOTE. 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ ADVOCATE. 🍼 BUILD QUEER FAMILIES.

The information shared in this episode is for educational purposes only and not a substitute for professional advice. Always consult a trusted professional for your specific situation!

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-queer-family-podcast/exclusive-content

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Jaimie chats with Yanica & Leah, the interracial two-mom family behind @thefaustinfam, about building a queer family with intention. They discuss their donor conception journey, navigating race and colorism, raising multiracial donor-conceived kids, second-parent adoption, coming out stories, and parenting free spirited little humans in the South.

If you love stories about LGBTQ family building, intentional parenting, mixed-race families, and queer joy — this episode is everything.

🏳️‍🌈 Key Takeaways

• Queer parents—especially interracial two-mom families—have to parent with deep intention.
• Yanica & Leah went from “straight best friends” to realizing they couldn’t live without each other.
• Coming out required navigating religion, culture, and family expectations, but they stayed united.
• Choosing a sperm donor as an interracial couple meant balancing race, ancestry, identity, and openness.
• They selected a willing-to-be-known donor to give their kids future choice and connection.
• Both moms carried, and they used the same donor so all three kids share a biological link.
• Colorism shows up in real time for their kids, and they openly discuss race and privilege at home.
• Legal protection matters: they completed second-parent adoption and carry documents everywhere.

🏳️‍🌈 About the Guest(s)🏳️‍🌈

• Yanica and Leah Faustin are the interracial two-mom power couple and creators behind @thefaustinfam, a warm, funny, and deeply honest look at queer family life. Based in Durham, North Carolina, they’re raising three donor-conceived kids while sharing their day-to-day joys, challenges, and intentional parenting choices with a rapidly growing online community. Together, Yanica (a professor) and Leah (a physical therapist) use humor, vulnerability, and radical transparency to normalize queer families and celebrate the diversity of what modern family building looks like. Their mission is simple: show up as their full selves so their kids—and all of ours—see their families reflected in the world.

🏳️‍🌈 Thanks to our sponsors!

• California Cryobank If you’re listening to this show, there’s a good chance you’re building your family the queer way — and might need a little help in the sperm department. 🩵 Use code QUEERFAM25 at cryobank.com for a FREE Level 2 subscription to their donor catalog!

•Be Parent Surrogacy Be Parent oversees the creation of family through surrogacy and IVF, from the very beginning, extending support even well after birth. Mention The Queer Family Podcast to receive $2000 of your treatment!

🏳️‍🌈 Book with GWK's Spring Break Cruise Vacation! Join Jaimie and her family (and other LGBTQIA+ families) on a 3 night cruise in the Bahamas. Be sure to mention that you heard about it here! Click that link ➡️ https://travelbrilliant.net/mbg/gwk-spring-break-2026/

🏳️‍🌈 Interested in advertising? Email [email protected]

🎧 Loved this episode?

Support The Queer Family Podcast on Patreon for exclusive bonus content and help keep these stories alive!

OR become a paid subscriber through our RedCircle page for bonus episodes and one-time or recurring donations:

🔗 redcircle.com/thequeerfamilypodcast/exclusive-content

🏳️‍🌈 What resonated most with you?

Drop a comment, DM us, or email [email protected]—we love hearing your stories!

🏳️‍🌈 Let’s Connect!

Find us on IG, TikTok, Bluesky, & YouTube: @thequeerfamilypodcast 🏳️‍🌈 Watch full episodes on YouTube

🏳️‍🌈 Order the If These Ovaries Could Talk book 

🏳️‍🌈 Edited by: Jerson Barajas 🏳️‍🌈 Theme Song by: Tiffany Topol 🏳️‍🌈 Logo by: Daneen Stevenato 🏳️‍🌈 Shop merch here. 🏳️‍🌈 Full transcript & episode info available on our website

🗳️ VOTE. 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ ADVOCATE. 🍼 BUILD QUEER FAMILIES.

The information shared in this episode is for educational purposes only and not a substitute for professional advice. Always consult a trusted professional for your specific situation!

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-queer-family-podcast/exclusive-content

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Author and educator Kirsty Loehr joins Jaimie to share her beautifully messy story of queer family building — from reciprocal IVF with her ex-wife to co-parenting their 4-year-old son and now navigating life in a blended family with her new partner and her partner’s two kids.

Kirsty talks candidly about the breakup that came just months after welcoming her son, the challenges of 50/50 custody, and learning to blend families while balancing love, chaos, and new beginnings. She also shares the inspiration behind her new book, A Short History of Queer Parenting, a funny, accessible, and essential look at how queer families have always existed — even when history tried to erase us.

It’s honest, hopeful, and very, very lesbian.

🏳️‍🌈 Key Takeaways

• Reciprocal IVF and Family Dynamics: Kirsty shares her experiences with reciprocal IVF, offering insights into queer parenting and the unique challenges and triumphs they bring.
• Single and Blended Parenting: Insights into the evolution from single to blended parenting, discussing both the struggles and profound bonds formed.
• Legal Aspects of Queer Parenting: Legal navigation within queer parenting, particularly regarding reciprocal IVF and parental rights.
• The Evolution of Queer Parenting: Kirsty's new book highlights the historical journey of LGBTQ+ parenting, from legality issues to personal anecdotes, providing a comprehensive view of queer family growth.
• Strength in Community: The importance of shared experiences and community support in navigating the complexities of queer family life.

🏳️‍🌈 About the Guest(s)🏳️‍🌈

• Kirsty Loehr (she/her) is a writer, English teacher, and examiner based in Brighton, England. She’s the author of A Short History of Queer Parenting and A Short History of Queer Women. Her work celebrates queer lineage, visibility, and the many ways LGBTQIA+ people create and nurture families.

🏳️‍🌈 Thanks to our sponsor California Cryobank!

If you’re listening to this show, there’s a good chance you’re building your family the queer way — and might need a little help in the sperm department. 🩵 Use code QUEERFAM25 at cryobank.com for a FREE Level 2 subscription to their donor catalog!

🏳️‍🌈 Book with GWK's Spring Break Cruise Vacation! Join Jaimie and her family (and other LGBTQIA+ families) on a 3 night cruise in the Bahamas. Be sure to mention that you heard about it here! Click that link ➡️ https://travelbrilliant.net/mbg/gwk-spring-break-2026/

🏳️‍🌈 Resources Mentioned

• Find Kirsty’s books
• Follow Kirsty on Instagram
• California Cryobank – Use code QUEERFAM25.

🏳️‍🌈 Interested in advertising? Email [email protected]

🎧 Loved this episode?

Support The Queer Family Podcast on Patreon for exclusive bonus content and help keep these stories alive!

OR become a paid subscriber through our RedCircle page for bonus episodes and one-time or recurring donations:

🔗 redcircle.com/thequeerfamilypodcast/exclusive-content

🏳️‍🌈 What resonated most with you?

Drop a comment, DM us, or email [email protected]—we love hearing your stories!

🏳️‍🌈 Let’s Connect!

Find us on IG, TikTok, Bluesky, & YouTube: @thequeerfamilypodcast 🏳️‍🌈 Watch full episodes on YouTube

🏳️‍🌈 Order the If These Ovaries Could Talk book 

🏳️‍🌈 Edited by: Jerson Barajas 🏳️‍🌈 Theme Song by: Tiffany Topol 🏳️‍🌈 Logo by: Daneen Stevenato 🏳️‍🌈 Shop merch here. 🏳️‍🌈 Full transcript & episode info available on our website

🗳️ VOTE. 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ ADVOCATE. 🍼 BUILD QUEER FAMILIES.

The information shared in this episode is for educational purposes only and not a substitute for professional advice. Always consult a trusted professional for your specific situation!

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-queer-family-podcast/exclusive-content

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Alon Rivel joins Jaimie for a brutally honest, funny, and heartfelt conversation about what it really takes—emotionally, financially, and spiritually—to build a queer family through surrogacy. From his surrogate’s iconic one-liners (“I’m not keeping it”) to his reflection that queer parents are architects of love, Alon reminds us what intentional parenthood looks like.

🏳️‍🌈 Key Takeaways

• The intentionality of queer family building—“We don’t choose to be gay, but we choose to have families.”
• Growing up gay in a Jewish-Israeli household in New York, finding safety through love and community.
• The surrogacy process from start to finish, including choosing an egg donor, working with Circle Surrogacy, and navigating the language (and insurance nightmares) that still exclude LGBTQ+ parents.
• Building lifelong relationships with both their surrogate and egg donor—relationships that have become extended family.
• Raising their son with full transparency about his origin story, teaching body honesty, and dismantling shame from day one.
• The cost, the fight for recognition (“Say mom again!”), and the joy of finally holding their son.

🏳️‍🌈 About the Guest(s)🏳️‍🌈

• Alon Rivel (he/him) is a gay dad and husband. Alon and his husband built their family through surrogacy after a decade-long relationship, a pandemic pivot, and a $220K price tag—and they’re raising their son surrounded by love, transparency, and the chosen family who helped bring him into the world.

🏳️‍🌈 Thanks to our sponsor California Cryobank!

If you’re listening to this show, there’s a good chance you’re building your family the queer way — and might need a little help in the sperm department. 🩵 Use code QUEERFAM25 at cryobank.com for a FREE Level 2 subscription to their donor catalog!

🏳️‍🌈 Book with GWK's Spring Break Cruise Vacation! Join Jaimie and her family (and other LGBTQIA+ families) on a 3 night cruise in the Bahamas. Be sure to mention that you heard about it here! Click that link ➡️ https://travelbrilliant.net/mbg/gwk-spring-break-2026/

🏳️‍🌈 Resources Mentioned

• Feast & Fettle – Meal delivery for families, by families.
• The Ali Forney Center – Supporting LGBTQ+ youth.
• Circle Surrogacy – Alon’s surrogacy agency.
• California Cryobank – Use code QUEERFAM25.

🏳️‍🌈 Interested in advertising? Email [email protected]

🎧 Loved this episode?

Support The Queer Family Podcast on Patreon for exclusive bonus content and help keep these stories alive!

OR become a paid subscriber through our RedCircle page for bonus episodes and one-time or recurring donations:

🔗 redcircle.com/thequeerfamilypodcast/exclusive-content

🏳️‍🌈 What resonated most with you?

Drop a comment, DM us, or email [email protected]—we love hearing your stories!

🏳️‍🌈 Let’s Connect!

Find us on IG, TikTok, Bluesky, & YouTube: @thequeerfamilypodcast 🏳️‍🌈 Watch full episodes on YouTube

🏳️‍🌈 Order the If These Ovaries Could Talk book 

🏳️‍🌈 Edited by: Jerson Barajas 🏳️‍🌈 Theme Song by: Tiffany Topol 🏳️‍🌈 Logo by: Daneen Stevenato 🏳️‍🌈 Shop merch here. 🏳️‍🌈 Full transcript & episode info available on our website

🗳️ VOTE. 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ ADVOCATE. 🍼 BUILD QUEER FAMILIES.

The information shared in this episode is for educational purposes only and not a substitute for professional advice. Always consult a trusted professional for your specific situation!

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-queer-family-podcast/exclusive-content

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Meet Mark and Eoin, two Irish dads proving that queer family building is both an act of love and of advocacy. Their path to fatherhood took them from Ireland to New York and Texas—navigating surrogacy independently, honoring their daughters’ Nigerian-Irish heritage, and pushing the Irish government to finally recognize families like theirs.

Together, they’ve turned loss, learning, and legislation into love and legacy. From discovering their donor’s culture to challenging outdated Irish surrogacy laws, Mark and Eoin remind us that sometimes the most radical thing LGBTQIA+ parents can do is parent out loud—and make the system catch up.

🏳️‍🌈 Key Takeaways

• Building a family through independent surrogacy during the pandemic
• The loss of a twin and honoring his memory
• Advocating for inclusive parental-leave and insurance coverage at work
• Fighting Ireland’s restrictive surrogacy laws and founding Irish Gay Dads
• Raising biracial daughters as white Irish dads in Harlem
• Teaching representation, identity, and cultural pride from day one
• Why advocacy often begins with telling your own story

🏳️‍🌈 About the Guest(s)🏳️‍🌈

• Mark and Eoin O’Looney Cannon: Together, they co-run the social media page Two Men in a Surrogacy, where they share their family’s journey and advocate for inclusive, ethical surrogacy practices. Eoin serves as the Vice Chairperson of Irish Gay Dads, a group dedicated to supporting LGBTQIA+ parents and pushing for legislative reform.

🏳️‍🌈 Thanks to our sponsor California Cryobank!

If you’re listening to this show, there’s a good chance you’re building your family the queer way — and might need a little help in the sperm department. 🩵 Use code QUEERFAM25 at cryobank.com for a FREE Level 2 subscription to their donor catalog!

🏳️‍🌈 Book with GWK's Spring Break Cruise Vacation! Join Jaimie and her family (and other LGBTQIA+ families) on a 3 night cruise in the Bahamas. Be sure to mention that you heard about it here! Click that link ➡️ https://travelbrilliant.net/mbg/gwk-spring-break-2026/

🏳️‍🌈 Resources Mentioned

• Follow Mark and Eoin: https://www.instagram.com/twomenandasurrogacy/

🏳️‍🌈 Interested in advertising? Email [email protected]

🎧 Loved this episode?

Support The Queer Family Podcast on Patreon for exclusive bonus content and help keep these stories alive!

OR become a paid subscriber through our RedCircle page for bonus episodes and one-time or recurring donations:

🔗 redcircle.com/thequeerfamilypodcast/exclusive-content

🏳️‍🌈 What resonated most with you?

Drop a comment, DM us, or email [email protected]—we love hearing your stories!

🏳️‍🌈 Let’s Connect!

Find us on IG, TikTok, Bluesky, & YouTube: @thequeerfamilypodcast 🏳️‍🌈 Watch full episodes on YouTube

🏳️‍🌈 Order the If These Ovaries Could Talk book 

🏳️‍🌈 Edited by: Jerson Barajas 🏳️‍🌈 Theme Song by: Tiffany Topol 🏳️‍🌈 Logo by: Daneen Stevenato 🏳️‍🌈 Shop merch here. 🏳️‍🌈 Full transcript & episode info available on our website

🗳️ VOTE. 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ ADVOCATE. 🍼 BUILD QUEER FAMILIES.

The information shared in this episode is for educational purposes only and not a substitute for professional advice. Always consult a trusted professional for your specific situation!

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-queer-family-podcast/exclusive-content

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

What happens when you grow up in an evangelical cult, spend years closeted, marry to appease your family, and still find your way to queerness, healing, and chosen family? Therapist and author SC Nealy (they/she) joins Jaimie to share their powerful story of resilience and reinvention.

From a childhood in religious isolation to co-parenting two daughters one block away from their queerplatonic co-parent, SC shows us that family can be redefined—and joyfully so. They talk about surviving their eldest child’s terrifying medical crisis during COVID, leaving behind a judgmental family, building an affirming community, and supporting others through religious trauma and queer family formation.

Plus, returning guest Tiq Milan drops by first to talk about building our own spaces when the systems fail us—introducing his new work as a Gender Doula, guiding trans folks and their families through social and emotional transitions.

This one’s all heart, healing, and hard truth.

🏳️‍🌈 Key Takeaways

• SC’s journey from evangelical cult to chosen queer family
• Creating kids intentionally through “baby-dancing” (the old-fashioned way!)
• Navigating medical trauma—their baby’s nine surgeries and life-saving resilience
• Co-parenting queerly: living a block apart, sharing everything, breaking the mold
• Coming out, losing family, and building chosen family that heals
• Falling in love again while their partner transitions—and what kids actually notice
• The beauty and power of group therapy in healing communal trauma
• Introducing SC’s upcoming book Healing Sacred Wounds (Bloomsbury, Spring 2026)
• Tiq Milan on gender doulas, toxic masculinity, and creating safe spaces when systems collapse

🏳️‍🌈 About the Guest(s)🏳️‍🌈

• SC Nealy, LMFT (they/she): Therapist, author, and founder of LGBT+ Counseling Collaborative (DC/MD/VA). Specializes in religious trauma, queer family systems, and group therapy.
• Tiq Milan (he/him): Writer, educator, activist, and now Gender Doula helping families through transitions.
• 
  

🏳️‍🌈 Thanks to our sponsor California Cryobank!

If you’re listening to this show, there’s a good chance you’re building your family the queer way — and might need a little help in the sperm department. 🩵 Use code QUEERFAM25 at cryobank.com for a FREE Level 2 subscription to their donor catalog!

🏳️‍🌈 Book with GWK's Spring Break Cruise Vacation! Join Jaimie and her family (and other LGBTQIA+ families) on a 3 night cruise in the Bahamas. Be sure to mention that you heard about it here! Click that link ➡️ https://travelbrilliant.net/mbg/gwk-spring-break-2026/

🏳️‍🌈 Resources Mentioned

• Find SC:
• Instagram: @scnealy and @lgbtcounselingdmv 
• Websites: www.lgbtcounselingdmv.com www.booksbysarahrobinson.com
• Find Tiq:
• Website: https://www.tiqmilan.com/
• Instagram: @themrmilan

🏳️‍🌈 Interested in advertising? Email [email protected]

🎧 Loved this episode?

Support The Queer Family Podcast on Patreon for exclusive bonus content and help keep these stories alive!

OR become a paid subscriber through our RedCircle page for bonus episodes and one-time or recurring donations:

🔗 redcircle.com/thequeerfamilypodcast/exclusive-content

🏳️‍🌈 What resonated most with you?

Drop a comment, DM us, or email [email protected]—we love hearing your stories!

🏳️‍🌈 Let’s Connect!

Find us on IG, TikTok, Bluesky, & YouTube: @thequeerfamilypodcast 🏳️‍🌈 Watch full episodes on YouTube

🏳️‍🌈 Order the If These Ovaries Could Talk book \

🏳️‍🌈 Edited by: Jerson Barajas 🏳️‍🌈 Theme Song by: Tiffany Topol 🏳️‍🌈 Logo by: Daneen Stevenato 🏳️‍🌈 Shop merch here. 🏳️‍🌈 Full transcript & episode info available on our website

🗳️ VOTE. 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ ADVOCATE. 🍼 BUILD QUEER FAMILIES.

The information shared in this episode is for educational purposes only and not a substitute for professional advice. Always consult a trusted professional for your specific situation!

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-queer-family-podcast/exclusive-content

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In this mind-expanding conversation, Jaimie sits down with Maya Gonzalez — genderqueer artist, author, publisher, educator, parent, and creator of The Gender Wheel — an innovative, nature-based framework that reimagines how we understand gender, identity, and self.

Maya takes us through their lifelong work of blending art, research, and spirit to help kids (and grownups!) move beyond the binary and return to connection — with themselves, with each other, and with nature. They talk about using children’s books, coloring pages, and even escape-room–style workshops to teach inclusivity and embodiment in playful, accessible ways.

The two also dive deep into Maya’s queer family-building journey, from early-2000s home inseminations and complicated co-parenting dynamics to creating a second, deeply grounded family years later. Through it all, Maya’s story is a testament to healing, love, and radical compassion — even for those who’ve caused harm.

Sponsored by California Cryobank—use code QueerFam25 for a free Level 2 catalog subscription (and a discount on Level 3). Make those babies; then come tell me about them.

🏳️‍🌈 Key Takeaways

• The Gender Wheel helps us understand gender as part of a natural, interconnected system — beyond binaries and labels.
• Kids intuitively get nonbinary and fluid concepts when we approach them through play and nature.
• Trauma and patriarchy have distorted how we see gender; reconnecting to embodiment and nature helps us heal.
• Queer, trans, and intersex people have always existed — and have always been sacred keepers of connection and continuum.
• Maya’s family story shows both the beauty and complexity of queer parenting before legal protections existed.
• Compassion is essential — even when it’s hard. As Maya says, “People are good at heart; they’ve just been damaged by the system.”

🏳️‍🌈 About the Guest(s)🏳️‍🌈

Maya Gonzalez (they/she) is a genderqueer Chicanx artist, author, and educator based in San Francisco. They’re the creator of The Gender Wheel, a nature-based framework for understanding gender diversity and inclusion. Through their independent publishing house Reflection Press, Maya has authored and illustrated dozens of children’s books — including They, She, He, Me: Free to Be, They, She, He, Easy as ABC, The Gender Wheel, and The Gender and Infinity Book.

Maya also runs online and in-person workshops and a Patreon-based school focused on expanding gender education through creativity, embodiment, and play.

🩷 Jaimie’s Life Update

Life is life-ing hard for the Kelwoods! Anne is nearing the end of radiation (almost done 🎉), Jaimie just had uterine surgery to remove endometriosis after 10 years of misdiagnosis, and their 11-year-old recently fractured her ankle. But through it all, they’re finding gratitude, humor, and resilience.

🏳️‍🌈 Thanks to our sponsor California Cryobank!

If you’re listening to this show, there’s a good chance you’re building your family the queer way — and might need a little help in the sperm department. 🩵 Use code QUEERFAM25 at cryobank.com for a FREE Level 2 subscription to their donor catalog!

🏳️‍🌈 Book with GWK's Spring Break Cruise Vacation! Join Jaimie and her family (and other LGBTQIA+ families) on a 3 night cruise in the Bahamas. Be sure to mention that you heard about it here! Click that link ➡️ https://travelbrilliant.net/mbg/gwk-spring-break-2026/

🏳️‍🌈 Resources Mentioned

• Maya’s Websites:
• www.genderwheel.com
• https://reflectionpress.com/
• http://www.mayagonzalez.com/
• Maya’s Patreon
• Find Maya on Instagram:
• @mzmayagonzalez
• @genderwheel 
• @reflectionpressbooks  

🏳️‍🌈 Interested in advertising? Email [email protected]

🎧 Loved this episode?

Support The Queer Family Podcast on Patreon for exclusive bonus content and help keep these stories alive!

OR become a paid subscriber through our RedCircle page for bonus episodes and one-time or recurring donations:

🔗 redcircle.com/thequeerfamilypodcast/exclusive-content

🏳️‍🌈 What resonated most with you?

Drop a comment, DM us, or email [email protected]—we love hearing your stories!

🏳️‍🌈 Let’s Connect!

Find us on IG, TikTok, Bluesky, & YouTube: @thequeerfamilypodcast 🏳️‍🌈 Watch full episodes on YouTube

🏳️‍🌈 Order the If These Ovaries Could Talk book 

🏳️‍🌈 Edited by: Jerson Barajas 🏳️‍🌈 Theme Song by: Tiffany Topol 🏳️‍🌈 Logo by: Daneen 

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-queer-family-podcast/exclusive-content

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Episode Summary (Podcast Apps)

Kevin and Alim—longtime partners, dads of two, and global citizens—share how they built their family through Canadian surrogacy, what they looked for in an egg donor, and how they talk to their kids about donor conception using a “meet them where they are” approach. We get real about the bio vs. non-bio parent feelings (yes, they’re normal), the difference between a natural birth and a planned C-section as intended parents, and the constant “coming out” kids do at school. Kevin also serves as Vice Chair of Fertility Friends Foundation, a Canadian charity offering fertility grants and partnered IVF cycles nationwide—their Fall application window opened October 1.

Sponsored by California Cryobank—use code QueerFam25 for a free Level 2 catalog subscription (and a discount on Level 3). Make those babies; then come tell me about them.

🏳️‍🌈 Key Takeaways

• Intentionality > DNA: Non-bio worries are common; attachment grows through caregiving, time, and presence.
• Normalize origin stories early: Use “drop the seed” moments—casual, repeated, age-appropriate mentions.
• Prepare your ‘school scripts’: Short, kind, clear answers for curious adults and kids.
• Know your lanes (Canada): Surrogacy is legal with restrictions; agency vs. independent both require strong legal and clinical partners.
• Policy matters: Some citizenship regimes still hinge on DNA, which doesn’t reflect modern families.

🏳️‍🌈 About the Guest(s)🏳️‍🌈

Kevin – Canadian/Swiss dual citizen, longtime New Yorker, Vice Chair at Fertility Friends Foundation, a Canadian registered charity that offers need-based grants and a clinic partnership program covering a full IVF cycle for selected recipients.

Alim – Immigrated from Africa to Canada at age six; has lived and worked around the world. Together with Kevin for 21+ years, married 11, dad to Ava (10) and Noah (8).

🏳️‍🌈 Thanks to our sponsor California Cryobank! Thinking of growing your queer family? Use code QUEERFAM25 at cryobank.com for a FREE Level 2 subscription to their donor catalog!

🏳️‍🌈 Book with GWK's Spring Break Cruise Vacation! Join Jaimie and her family (and other LGBTQIA+ families) on a 3 night cruise in the Bahamas. Be sure to mention that you heard about it here! Click that link ➡️ https://travelbrilliant.net/mbg/gwk-spring-break-2026/

🏳️‍🌈 Resources Mentioned

• Fertility Friends Foundation (Canada) – need-based fertility grants + partner-clinic IVF cycle program. Fall application window opened October 1. (Canada residents only.)
• California Cryobank – Use code QueerFam25 for a free Level 2 donor catalog subscription (and discount on Level 3).

🏳️‍🌈 Interested in advertising? Email [email protected]

🎧 Loved this episode?

Support The Queer Family Podcast on Patreon for exclusive bonus content and help keep these stories alive!

OR become a paid subscriber through our RedCircle page for bonus episodes and one-time or recurring donations:

🔗 redcircle.com/thequeerfamilypodcast/exclusive-content

🏳️‍🌈 What resonated most with you?

Drop a comment, DM us, or email [email protected]—we love hearing your stories!

🏳️‍🌈 Let’s Connect!

Find us on IG, TikTok, Bluesky, & YouTube: @thequeerfamilypodcast 🏳️‍🌈 Watch full episodes on YouTube

🏳️‍🌈 Order the If These Ovaries Could Talk book 

🏳️‍🌈 Edited by: Jerson Barajas 🏳️‍🌈 Theme Song by: Tiffany Topol 🏳️‍🌈 Logo by: Daneen Stevenato 🏳️‍🌈 Shop merch here. 🏳️‍🌈 Full transcript & episode info available on our website

🗳️ VOTE. 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ ADVOCATE. 🍼 BUILD QUEER FAMILIES.

Light content note: discussion of fertility treatment, surrogacy logistics, and a brief mention of DNA requirements for citizenship.

The information shared in this episode is for educational purposes only and not a substitute for professional advice. Always consult a trusted professional for your specific situation!

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-queer-family-podcast/exclusive-content

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Screens are everywhere — but how do we keep them from taking over our kids’ lives? In this special ally episode, Jaimie sits down with Casey O’Roarty, a positive discipline trainer, parent coach, and host of the Joyful Courage podcast, to talk about raising kids in a high-tech world.

Casey shares practical strategies for balancing independence with safety, building critical thinking skills, setting real limits, and creating a united front with other parents. This candid conversation also weaves in Jaimie and Casey’s personal lives — both are supporting spouses through cancer — and how “life is lifing” for them while they navigate parenting tweens and teens.

You’ll leave this episode feeling less alone, better equipped, and maybe even inspired to hold a family meeting tonight about screens.

🏳️‍🌈 Key Takeaways

• Screens are a privilege, not a right. With privilege comes responsibility and hard rules.
• Start basic and build up. If possible, begin with a simple phone and add features gradually.
• Model what you want to see. Check your own screen habits and talk openly about them.
• Use “no-phone zones” instead of only time limits. Meals, bedrooms, family movie nights, and cars are good places to start.
• Collaborate with other parents. A united front makes it easier to hold boundaries.
• Validate first, explain second. Teens listen better when they feel understood.
• Add real-life experiences. Independence, chores, sports, and outdoor time help offset tech use.
• Consider monitoring tools. Apps like Bark can give alerts without constant snooping.
• Family meetings work. Create a safe space for kids to contribute to tech rules and solutions.

🏳️‍🌈 About the Guest(s)🏳️‍🌈

Casey O’Roarty is a Positive Discipline Lead Trainer and parent coach, the adolescent lead and co-founder of Sproutable. A mom to a 19-year-old and a 22-year-old, she hosts the Joyful Courage podcast for parents of tweens and teens. Casey is passionate about helping parents show up with connection and consistency so their teens can truly thrive.

🏳️‍🌈 Thanks to our sponsor California Cryobank!

Thinking of growing your queer family? Use code QUEERFAM25 at cryobank.com for a FREE Level 2 subscription to their donor catalog!

🏳️‍🌈 Book with GWK's Spring Break Cruise Vacation! Join Jaimie and her family (and other LGBTQIA+ families) on a 3 night cruise in the Bahamas. Be sure to mention that you heard about it here! Click that link ➡️ https://travelbrilliant.net/mbg/gwk-spring-break-2026/

🏳️‍🌈 Resources Mentioned

• Casey’s website & coaching: besproutable.com/teens
• Joyful Courage Podcast: Listen wherever you get your podcasts
• Instagram: @joyful_courage
• Facebook Group: “Joyful Courage for Parents of Teens”
• Recommended reading: The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt & 10 Rules for Raising Kids in a High-Tech World by Jean Twenge (mentioned in episode)
• Bark monitoring app & Bark Phone: www.bark.us
• Ted Talk Exposing the Costs of Social Media (mentioned in episode)

🏳️‍🌈 Interested in advertising? Email [email protected]

🎧 Loved this episode?

Support The Queer Family Podcast on Patreon for exclusive bonus content and help keep these stories alive!

OR become a paid subscriber through our RedCircle page for bonus episodes and one-time or recurring donations:

🔗 redcircle.com/thequeerfamilypodcast/exclusive-content

🏳️‍🌈 What resonated most with you?

Drop a comment, DM us, or email [email protected]—we love hearing your stories!

🏳️‍🌈 Let’s Connect!

Find us on IG, TikTok, Bluesky, & YouTube: @thequeerfamilypodcast 🏳️‍🌈 Watch full episodes on YouTube

🏳️‍🌈 Order the If These Ovaries Could Talk book 

🏳️‍🌈 Edited by: Jerson Barajas 🏳️‍🌈 Theme Song by: Tiffany Topol 🏳️‍🌈 Logo by: Daneen Stevenato 🏳️‍🌈 Shop merch here. 🏳️‍🌈 Full transcript & episode info available on our website

🗳️ VOTE. 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ ADVOCATE. 🍼 BUILD QUEER FAMILIES.

The information shared in this episode is for educational purposes only and not a substitute for professional advice. Always consult a trusted professional for your specific situation!

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-queer-family-podcast/exclusive-content

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy