The Queer Family Podcast – LGBTQ Families & Queer Parenting Stories
The Queer Family Podcast is a weekly show hosted by queer mom Jaimie Kelton that dives into LGBTQ family life, parenting, and the unique challenges queer families face. Through interviews with LGBTQIA+ guests, the podcast explores how they built their families and navigate a world not always designed for them. The show aims to normalize, elevate, and celebrate queer family life with humor and honesty, covering topics like inclusive parenting and family-building journeys.
Episodes
From Lesbian Community to Trans Elder: Reid Vanderburgh’s Story
Reid Vanderburgh spent more than 20 years living in lesbian community before realizing he was trans. More than 30 years later, he's a retired therapist, author, stepfather, chosen grandfather, and proud trans elder.Reid joins Jaimie to talk about finding the language to understand yourself, becoming the therapist he once needed, and why younger generations give him hope. They also explore chos
Parenting Ourselves While Raising Our Kids
Not every episode about queer families is about making a family.Sometimes it's about healing the person who became one.This week, Jaimie sits down with Bronwin Parks and Elinor Svoboda, hosts of the Late in 88 podcast, to explore the "baby gay" still living inside all of us. Together they unpack growing up queer in the 80s and 90s, the importance of queer history, how today's polit
She Grew Up With Two Gay Dads in the 70s—Here's What She Wants Parents to Know
Melissa Pas Blake grew up with two dads—but not in the way many queer families exist today.After losing her mother to cancer at just six years old, Melissa was raised by her father and his lifelong partner, Ken, throughout the 1970s and 80s, long before LGBTQ+ families had visibility or legal protections.In this heartfelt conversation, Melissa shares what it was like growing up in a loving home wh
Why We Need to Reclaim “Lesbian Bed Death”
When a clip from one of our earlier Tea Time episodes sparked a heated debate online, we knew we had to dedicate an entire episode to it.This week, we're unpacking the history of "lesbian bed death"—where the term came from, why many researchers now reject it, and whether it's time for queer women to reclaim it altogether. We talk about intimacy, consent, long-term relationships, a
Tea Time: What Comes After Cancer?
Anne has officially finished her final cancer treatment.In this special Tea Time episode, Jaimie sits down with her pal Dianni for an honest conversation about what comes next for her family after a year and a half of chemotherapy, surgeries, radiation, targeted treatment, and caregiving.Jaimie talks about how cancer changed their family, what it was like watching their children navigate the journ
The Secret Test I Give Every Podcast Guest
What really happens behind the scenes of The Queer Family Podcast? 👀In this special preview of Tea Time with Jaimie & Dianni, Jaimie is spilling the tea on podcast guest pet peeves, the secret ways she can tell whether someone pitching themselves for the show has actually listened, and what happens when people come on with an agenda of their own.Yes, there are secret tests. Yes, Jaimie knows w
The Secret Test I Give Every Podcast Guest
Tea Time with Jaimie & Dianni is a subscriber-only bonus series where Jaimie and her friend Dianni sit down for short, fun, unfiltered conversations about their very different queer little lives. It’s casual, behind-the-scenes, and a little messy—in the best way.This week, the tea is hot. ☕️Jaimie and Dianni are pulling back the curtain on what really happens behind the scenes of The Queer Fam
They Raised a Family While Hiding Their Love | The Rainbow Aunties
Wilma and Marilyn—better known as The Rainbow Aunties—have loved each other for more than four decades. But for much of that time, they couldn't live openly as a couple.In this moving conversation, they share how they fell in love in college while Marilyn was in a relationship with a man, why they spent years hiding their relationship, and how military policies, religion, fear, and the threat
Known Donors, IVF & One Very Special Embryo
When Calypso and her wife Nat decided to start their family, they never imagined the twists and turns ahead. From navigating the UK's fertility system and searching for a known donor to traveling internationally for IVF, their journey was filled with unexpected setbacks, difficult decisions, and more than a few emotional rollercoasters.In this episode, Calypso shares how one embryo became one
From Closeted Mormons to Gay Dads of Three
Jake and Sean never expected a conversation on Grindr to lead to marriage, parenthood, and three kids at once.Raised in conservative Mormon families, both men spent years trying to reconcile their faith with their sexuality. In this episode, they share how they met while still closeted, fell in love while trying to "find wives," navigated coming out, left the LDS church, and eventually bui
Queer Parents, Preteens & Puberty with José Rolón
The babies aren't babies anymore.In this candid conversation, Jaimie sits down with returning guest and friend José Rolón (NYC Gay Dad) to talk about parenting preteens and teenagers as LGBTQ+ parents. From puberty and emotional regulation to first crushes, social media, and navigating the outside world's assumptions about queer families, this episode explores what changes—and what stays t
Raising Donor-Conceived Kids With Honesty and Pride
In Part 2 of the conversation with donor conception expert, author, therapist, and podcaster Lisa Schuman, Jaimie flips the roles and asks the questions, diving deep into donor conception, queer family building, and the emotional realities of parenting in donor-conceived families.Drawing from decades of experience in reproductive medicine, Lisa shares what research reveals about communication open
Donor Conception, Pride & Intentional Parenting
Jaimie sits down with therapist, author, podcaster, and donor conception expert Lisa Schuman. Lisa turns the mic on Jaimie as they explore the origins of The Queer Family Podcast, the emotional realities of donor conception, the fears many queer parents carry around biological connection, and why queer families are some of the most intentional families out there. They also discuss humor, resilienc
Love, Transition & Parenthood with Jake and Hannah Graf
Jaimie and special co-host José Rolón (@nycgaydad) sit down with married couple Jake and Hannah Graf — authors, advocates, and parents of two — to talk about love, transition, intentional family building, and the beautiful chaos of parenting.Jake shares why he chose to pause testosterone and create embryos years before meeting Hannah, while Hannah opens up about transitioning while serving in the
Known Donor, Reciprocal IVF & Three Kids Later | Vanessa & Jory
Vanessa and Jory of @modernfamilynextdoor join the Pride Extravaganza to share their journey from closeted college classmates to raising three children together. They open up about religious shame, coming out to family, known donor conception, reciprocal IVF, difficult pregnancies, and the emotional realities of non-bio parenting in queer families. This conversation is funny, vulnerable, and deepl
Real Dads Carry Their Babies: Two Trans Dads Build a Family
Chase and Oliver share their journey to becoming parents as two trans dads navigating IVF, pregnancy, identity, and queer family building.The couple opens up about meeting as lesbians before both later coming out as trans, deciding who would carry, stopping testosterone to conceive, navigating failed IUIs, finding the right donor, and ultimately becoming pregnant through IVF.They also discuss tran
Tea Time with Jaimie & Dianni: Moving In Together, ADHD Messiness & Lesbian Relationship Fears
Episode Summary (Podcast Apps)Dianni is spiraling a little… because she and her girlfriend are talking about moving in together. 😅In this Tea Time episode, Jaimie and Dianni get real about lesbian U-Hauling, commitment anxiety, ADHD messiness, relationship fears, and what actually happens when your life starts getting more serious.From clutter fights and “where does this belong?” energy to deeper
Jaimie & Dianni Spill the Tea: Gay Cruises, Gay Dads & Gay Chaos
Episode Summary (Podcast Apps)Welcome to Tea Time with Jaimie & Dianni — a brand new bonus series from The Queer Family Podcast.For the next two weeks leading up to the Pride Extravaganza, we’re giving listeners a free taste of the Patreon-exclusive chaos before these episodes disappear behind the paywall on June 1st.In this first episode, Jaimie gives us a brutally honest recap of the recent
Raised by Two Moms: Zach Wahls on LGBTQ Families, Advocacy & Running for Senate
What happens when a kid from a queer family chooses to stand up and defend his family in front of lawmakers?Zach Wahls—author, advocate, and Iowa State Senator—first made national headlines as a teenager when he spoke out in support of his two moms during a marriage equality hearing. The moment went viral and helped shift the conversation around LGBTQ+ families.But this conversation goes far beyon
From Unexpected Pregnancy to Known Donor RIVF: A Queer Family Building & IVF Journey
Kaya Colin—therapist, couples coach, and parent of two—shares a deeply layered journey through identity, belonging, and queer family building.From an unexpected first pregnancy that challenged how others saw their queerness, to navigating single parenthood, to falling in love with their transmasculine partner and building their second child through reciprocal IVF—this story is complex, resilient,
Two Dads, Three Years of Adoption, and a Surrogacy Miracle
What happens when the path you thought you were on… just doesn’t work out?This week, we’re talking to Phil and Jonathan—two dads who spent three years in the adoption process before realizing it might not be how they’d build their family.We get into everything: the waiting, the emotional toll, the near misses, and what it’s like navigating a system that isn’t exactly built for queer families.And t
Queer Parenting & LGBTQ Families: The “Do We Want Kids?” Conversation
Dianni Hall—queer Latina, former full-time traveler, and Jaimie’s new assistant producer on The Queer Family Podcast(!) —joins us for a conversation that starts with queer family life and dating… and turns into a very real discussion about queer parenting, LGBTQ+ families, and whether or not to have kids at all.We talk about LGBTQ parenting, intentional relationships, and what it means to build a
Queer Family Life, IVF & LGBTQ+ Parenting—And Why It All Feels So Hard Right Now
Robin Maril—law professor, former Human Rights Campaign attorney, and host of A Queer Guide to Saving Democracy—joins us for a conversation that starts with queer family life and IVF… and expands into what’s happening in the U.S. right now.We talk about LGBTQ+ families, donor conception, and parenting in the LGBTQ+ community—plus the real LGBTQ+ family challenges that come with raising kids in tod
A Very Real Family Update
This week’s episode is a little different—and very real.When a scheduled guest wasn’t ready to share their story, Jaimie and her wife Anne stepped in for an impromptu, unfiltered check-in on their own lives. Recorded in the middle of family chaos (kids awake past bedtime, dog whining, one shared mic…), this episode is exactly what queer family life actually looks like behind the scenes.They open u
Foster to Adopt as a Gay Dad: Jameel Mayers’ Path to Parenthood
Jaimie sits down with fellow podcaster Jameel Mayers, host of Fathernetics, to talk about his journey to fatherhood through the foster-to-adopt system.Jameel shares the emotional realities of fostering, the challenges of navigating agencies as a queer couple, and the moment they met their son, Jacob, who would eventually become their forever child. Together, they explore the complexities of trauma
Surrogacy for Gay Dads: Cost, Ethics & Building a Family
Jaimie sits down with Daniel Berezowsky to talk about his and his husband’s journey to parenthood through surrogacy — and how their work in human rights shaped every step.They share the emotional and financial realities of IVF, choosing an egg donor, and waiting to be matched with a surrogate, along with the surprising lessons they learned along the way — including letting go of assumptions and ex
Leaving the American Dream: Raising a Trans Daughter and Starting Over in Spain
What happens when the life you built no longer fits who you are — or the world no longer feels safe for your family? In this episode, Jaimie sits down with TJ Shimeld to talk about coming out after marriage, building an unconventional but beautiful co-parenting relationship with his ex-wife, raising a transgender daughter, and ultimately making the life-changing decision to leave the U.S. for Spai
Surrogacy, Parentage Orders, and the Legal Side of Queer Family Building
What does it really take to build a family through surrogacy as a same sex couple? In this episode, Jaimie sits down with attorney and dad Alexander Paykin to talk about his family’s surrogacy journey, the many unexpected twists along the way, and the legal realities queer parents need to understand before getting started.Alexander shares how he and his husband chose an egg donor, what surprised t
"We Bought Sperm 4 Months In”: A Trans Dad + Cis Mom’s Donor Conception Story
Robert and Shannon are “two regular degular schmegular queers” who went from friends… to dating… to buying sperm in just a few months (yes, it’s as lesbian as it sounds). In this episode, they share what it looked like to build a family as a cisgender woman and a transgender man, including the realities of trans fertility, the complicated emotions around fertility preservation, and the deeply valu
Lesbian IVF Journey: From Infertility to Double Donor Twins
Building a family didn’t happen the way same sex parents Sarah and Beth originally imagined. What began as a straightforward plan unfolded into miscarriage, multiple rounds of IUI, IVF, and ultimately the realization that neither of them could use their own eggs. They share what it meant to pivot again and again — and how they ultimately welcomed their 13-year-old twin boys through both an egg don
Come Out. Make Art. Repeat. | Coming Out Later in Life + Raising a Trans Teen
Jaimie sits down with Hilde Festerling—queer mom, children’s writer, and the creator of the all-ages “barnyard gothic” audio drama podcast The Goat American Novel. Hilde shares the story of coming out later in life, navigating an amicable divorce, and building a creative partnership with her girlfriend. The heart of the episode is how Hilde’s family used storytelling as a literal lifeline: writing
Seven Kids, One Lesbian, and a Graduation Gift of Sperm
Lex Beach is a gay mom of seven kids (ages 8–23), and her LGBTQ family-building story truly covers the waterfront: donor sperm, IUIs, donor sibling connections, parenting through divorce, blended same sex family life, known-donor attempts, miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy, and ultimately IVF.Lex knew she wanted to be a mom from the jump—and at 22, she got pregnant (the gay way) right after colleg
BONUS EPISODE: Love, Take Two: A Very Special Announcement (with Jose Rolón / @nycgaydad)
We were supposed to be dark this week… but instead, we popped in with a very special bonus episode. In this short, unscripted, slightly chaotic conversation, Jaimie is joined by longtime friend and collaborator Jose Rolón (aka @nycgaydad) to officially announce their brand-new podcast:💥 Love, Take Two 💥This episode, recorded without a producer, without an editor, and without a microphone (sorry in
ARCHIVE: Marie Newman on LGBTQ+ Rights, Trans Advocacy & Fighting Anti-Trans Laws
I’m putting this archived conversation back into the world because, like many of you, I’m feeling overwhelmed, angry, and honestly a bit helpless after the most recent ICE killing of Alex Pretti. When violence like this happens it can feel impossible to know where to put our grief or how to turn it into action. This episode with Marie Newman is a reminder that change doesn’t come from waiting to f
Trans Dad Shares Journey of Self-Discovery and Parenthood
ARCHIVE (Recorded in 2024): Meet Shawndeez, a non-binary trans dad who shares their journey towards self-discovery and parenthood. Shawndeez discusses the challenges they faced as a queer and trans individual, their decision to pursue IVF and egg retrieval, and the importance of unconditional love in the parent-child relationship. Shawndeez also talks about their work supporting parents of trans c
ARCHIVAL: Children’s Equality in Ireland with Ranae von Meding
This episode was recorded in 2020 and originally released under the show’s former name, If These Ovaries Could Talk. While Ranae von Meding’s family life may look a bit different today, the laws in Ireland have not meaningfully changed—and many same-sex parents are still fighting for full legal recognition and protection for their children.At eight months pregnant, Ranae von Meding learned a shock
ARCHIVAL: Shipping Fresh Sperm Can Work!
This episode originally aired back when the show was called If These Ovaries Could Talk, hosted by Jaimie Kelton and Robin Hopkins — before the show evolved into The Queer Family Podcast.Over the years, I’ve had countless listeners reach out asking the same thing: “Can you connect me with Emily and Sara? I want to learn how they shipped fresh sperm.” So I’m resurfacing this conversation because ye
ARCHIVAL: What Does Pride Mean to You?
As we head into a new year, we’re revisiting a very special episode — and carrying those Pride vibes forward with us.This episode originally aired as the finale of our very first Pride Extravaganza, where all month long (and a little beyond) we doubled up on Queer Family goodness with incredible guests and powerful stories.For this grand finale, I asked every single Pride Extravaganza guest one si
ARCHIVAL: How It All Started — Anne & Jaimie on Infertility, IVF, and Building a Lesbian Family
Before The Queer Family Podcast had its name, it began as If These Ovaries Could Talk—a show Jaimie launched with original co-host Robin Hopkins.In this very first episode, Robin interviews Jaimie and her wife Anne as they share the real-time story of building their family as a lesbian couple: unexpected infertility, choosing a sperm donor, navigating IUI and IVF, and the emotional and financial r
Surrogacy Without the Waitlist: Inside Be Parent with Founder Naia
Jaimie talks with Naia, founder of Be Parent Surrogacy, about international surrogacy options, what intended parents can expect when working with an agency, and how Be Parent supports LGBTQIA+ families with transparency, ethics, and hands-on care. Naia also shares her own IVF story and her real-time sperm donor search—including why she’s choosing to freeze embryos as a future “insurance policy.🏳️
Anish & Miguel: A Surrogacy Masterclass from Berlin
Anish & Miguel are two dads in Berlin who recently welcomed their son, Alexander, through agency-based surrogacy. And listen — some of us (cough… Jaimie… cough) approached queer family building with good vibes and very few spreadsheets. But THESE TWO? Absolute meticulous gay dad excellence. From cross-country agency visits, to karyotype testing, to annual goal-setting (“become parents” was lit
Two Moms, One Donor: Sam & Laura Abbey on IVF, Extra Sperm & Raising Their Donor-Conceived Boys
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 happ
Ash on Queer Birth Justice, Pregnancy & Palestine
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 bri
Queer Parenting and Interracial Family Life: Navigating Donor Conception and LGBTQ Family Challenges
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
Kirsty Loehr: From Reciprocal IVF to Blended Family and Writing Our History
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
No Accidents Here: Alon Rivel on Intentional Gay Parenting
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 TakeawaysThe intenti
Mark & Eoin: Two Irish Dads, Two Daughters, and a Fight for Change
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 i
From Cult Upbringing to Queer Co-Parenting
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-p
Breaking the Binary: Maya Gonzalez and the Gender Wheel
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
The Bio/Non-Bio Myth: Why Love, Not DNA, Makes a Family
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-s
Screens, Teens, and Privilege: Positive Discipline and Tech Limits with Casey O’Roarty
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
Two Dads, One Mom, Zero Apologies | Therapist Ann Russo on Religious Trauma, Chosen Family & Queer Joy
Queer therapist and “kid of queer parents” Ann Russo joins Jaimie to show what ordinary, extraordinary queer family looks like. Raised in the ’80s by a mom, dad, and dad’s partner under one roof—publicly “the roommate” for safety—Ann shares how chosen family (yes, Deadhead potlucks) and three parents taught compassion, and why bio vs. non-bio bonds never mattered. We get religious trauma 101: Ann’
Jesse Callans: Transitioning While Parenting Four Kids + Writing Ollie in Between
Transmasc author and parent Jesse Callans joins Jaimie to flip the parenting script. Jesse shares how he pressed pause on transition to build a family (surprise—then three more!), what it looked like to transition while his kids were 7, 4, 2, and 1, and how toddlers helped distill a complex change down to “the things that stay the same” (yes, there will still be spoons and napkins). We dig into ge
What the New LGBTQ+ Study Really Says—And Why It Matters for Queer Families With Orion Rummler (The 19th) & Pew’s Rachel Minkin
We went in-studio (!) with journalist Orion Rummler (The 19th) and Rachel Minkin (Pew Research Center, and a gay mom) to unpack Pew’s major 2025 study of LGBTQ+ Americans—released around the 10-year anniversary of Obergefell. We talk social acceptance gaps (L/G & bi vs. trans/nonbinary), how data actually moves policy, the everyday realities of queer family-building (hello, insurance barriers)
José Rolón (NYC Gay Dad) and Luce Remy (Family Equality): Why LGBTQ+ Family Policy Helps Everyone
In this Season 20 opener, Jaimie sits down in person (for the first time in years!) with two powerhouse voices in the LGBTQIA+ family-building world: José Rolón (aka NYC Gay Dad) and Luce Remey (VP of Public Policy at Family Equality). Together, they dive deep into what it really means to build, protect, and nurture queer families in today’s political climate. From navigating wills, Social Securit
Bonus Replay: Redefining Parenthood: A Queer Guide to Modern Parenting
🎉 Bonus Episode Alert! 🎉 Season 20 officially drops on September 1st, but while you wait, we’ve got one last bonus for you. This heartfelt and thought-provoking conversation redefines what it means to parent in our queer, messy, beautiful, modern world.Writer, activist, and parent S. Bear Bergman sits down with Jaimie to explore love, family, and LGBTQIA identity against the backdrop of today’s po
BONUS REPLAY: A Beautifully Complicated Transition with Emme Reynolds
As we gear up for the launch of Season 20 this September, we're sharing some favorite past episodes that continue to resonate—because queer family-building is never just a one-time story.Originally aired in Season 14, this episode features Emme Reynolds, a transgender parent of two in a newly blended family. Emme brings honesty, vulnerability, and wisdom to the conversation as she shares her p
Bonus: Cruising Podcast Swap — Les Pierres, Love, and Queer Family in the Deep South
While we gear up for Season 20 (September 1st!), I’m sharing something special — an episode swap with the fabulous podcast Cruising. They’re featuring one of my episodes on their feed, and I’m thrilled to bring one of theirs to you. This one’s a beautiful slice of queer history, love, and resilience.Juanita Pierre and Leslie Martinez opened New Orleans' first Black-owned lesbian bar, Les Pierr
BONUS REPLAY: Flipping the Script on Foster Adoption
🎉 BONUS REPLAY: Flipping the Script on Foster AdoptionAs we gear up for the launch of Season 20 this September (!!!), I’m revisiting some of my favorite episodes from past seasons. These stories continue to resonate, inspire, and remind us why queer family visibility matters—every single day.Originally aired in Season 13, this heartfelt and eye-opening episode features Ed Center, a husband, father
BONUS! Navigating the Fertility Journey as a Queer Couple, with Jaimie Kelton
🎉 BONUS EPISODE DROP! 🎉As I get ready to launch Season 20 of The Queer Family Podcast this September(!), I’m sharing a few guest appearances that I think deserve a spot in this feed. This week, I joined Dr. Kelsey Duncan on The Fertility Confidence Podcast to talk candidly about queer fertility, intentional parenthood, donor selection, and the legal complexities that queer families face. If you
Upstanders vs. Bystanders: Embracing Allyship for LGBTQ Families Everywhere with Jaimie Kelton
🎉 Bonus Episode Drop! 🎉While we gear up for Season 20 of The Queer Family Podcast, we're sharing this powerful conversation Jaimie had as a guest on the No Guilt Mom podcast! We talked all things queer family building, parenting with purpose, standing up (loudly) for what’s right—and yes, even voiceover work and musical theater. Enjoy this bonus episode while you wait for what's coming nex
Celebrating Queer Families & Normalizing Representation with Jaimie from the Queer Family Podcast
🎉 Bonus Episode Drop! 🎉While Jaimie gears up for Season 20 of The Queer Family Podcast—launching this August!—she's sharing this bonus episode from her recent guest appearance on the No One Told Us podcast. It’s a beautiful conversation about queer parenting, representation, and the honest, hilarious chaos of raising kids while gay. Enjoy this sneak peek into what’s to come next season!Episode
From IVF to Foster Care to Film: Haven & Koy's Journey
Haven and Koy's journey to parenthood included IVF, IUIs, anonymous and known donors, multiple moves, and ultimately foster care—where they met and adopted their 6-year-old son, River. In this final episode of our Pride Extravaganza, they open up to our host, Jaimie Kelton, about what it’s really like navigating foster-to-adopt as queer parents, how loss and resilience shaped their parenting j
Induced Lactation 101: Queer, Trans, and Chestfeeding Realness
Can cis men be lactation consultants? Can trans folks chestfeed? Can someone who had top surgery still make milk? YES, YES, and YES. In this eye-opening Pride Extravaganza episode, Jaimie sits down with Jacob Engelsman, a cisgender queer man, lactation consultant, and author of Lactation for the Rest of Us, a groundbreaking guide designed specifically for queer and trans families. Together, they d
Life Is Lifing for the Kelwoods: A Queer Family Update + a Queer Family Gift
Jaimie and her wife Anne share a heartfelt update on Anne's breast cancer journey, including the challenges of chemotherapy, unexpected back surgery, and the support from their community. They discuss upcoming medical procedures and the emotional toll of their experiences. Photographer Suzanne Fiore joins the conversation to offer discounted sessions for queer families, highlighting the import
Peggy Gillespie Is the Anti-DeSantis, Anti-Trump, Pro-Love Hero We Need
Peggy Gillespie returns to The Queer Family Podcast with even more stories, accolades, and queer advocacy badassery.Peggy Gillespie, co-founder of Family Diversity Projects and creator of Love Makes a Family and Authentic Selves, is back for our Pride Extravaganza—and she has not slowed down. Since her first appearance on the show, Peggy has been honored by Family Equality, hugged by Katie Couric,
Intentional Parenting, Donor Decisions, and Fighting for LGBTQ+ Families with Darra Gordon
Darra Gordon, the new CEO of Family Equality, joins host Jaimie to share her wild, beautiful, and intentional journey to queer parenthood—while simultaneously leading in LGBTQ+ advocacy. In a conversation filled with laughs, wisdom, and the occasional tween meltdown tangent, Dara opens up about trying to conceive at the same time as her wife, choosing donors (yes, plural), navigating unexpected ch
Queer Joy as Resistance: Kyle Casey Chu (aka Panda Dulce) on Drag, Books, and Building a Better World
Kyle Casey Chu (@pandadulce) is a drag performer, author, filmmaker, and one of the founding queens of Drag Story Hour—and in this powerful Pride Extravaganza episode, Kyle joins host Jaimie Kelton to talk about the art and activism that’s helping queer youth thrive. Kyle opens up about growing up in San Francisco with his autistic twin brother, coming out in middle school, and how queer joy, drag
Queer Dads, an Adoption Journey, and the Movie It Inspired: I Don’t Understand You
Brian Crano and David Joseph Craig are husbands, dads, filmmakers—and now the creators of a new dark comedy based on their real journey to queer parenthood. In this powerful and delightfully funny Pride Extravaganza episode, they sit down with host Jaimie Kelton to share how their long, complicated path to adoption—complete with a scam, soul-searching, and spreadsheets—turned into “I Don’t Underst
Intentional Parenting: Lessons from Single Gay Dad Darren Graham
Darren Graham (@therealdarrengraham), a single gay dad by choice and content creator, shares his beautiful and powerful journey to fatherhood. Originally from St. Vincent, Darren opens up to host Jaimie Kelton about his path through trauma, coming into his queerness, and eventually adopting his son as a solo parent. He also shares how parenting has become a space of healing and intention, and why
Gays With Kids Founder Brian Rosenberg: From HIV Diagnosis to Proud Dad of 3
It’s Pride Extravaganza, y’all! 🌈To kick off this month-long celebration of queer family goodness, Jaimie sits down with Brian Rosenberg, longtime advocate, dad of three, and founder of Gays With Kids and GWK Academy. From navigating HIV and homophobia in the '80s to building a beautiful family through adoption and surrogacy, Brian shares his powerful story with honesty, humor, and heart.He op
Bonus Replay | Out And Proud With The Mazelins
This joyful, visibility-filled throwback deserves another listen.Originally aired during our 2023 Pride Extravaganza, this episode features Brian and Alec Mazelin, a gay couple raising their daughter and showing up online as their fabulous, authentic selves. Their story of love, intentional family building, and unapologetic visibility is exactly what we need right now.🎙️ “The more we show up, the
Bonus Replay | Celebrating What DeSantis Fears (w/ Peggy Gillespie)
This Pride Month warm-up replay is a must-listen.Peggy Gillespie—author, queer parent, and co-director of Family Diversity Projects—has been celebrating LGBTQIA+ families and underrepresented voices for decades. In this episode (originally part of our Pride Extravaganza), she shares how her work has helped shift hearts and minds across the country—including the very communities where our identitie
Nonbinary Pregnancy, Known Donor Family Building, and Fighting Cancer Together | Casey & Sarah
Casey and Sarah share their beautiful, uniquely queer family-building journey—featuring a known donor (Sarah’s brother!), a nonbinary pregnancy, chestfeeding after top surgery, and building a milk-sharing network. Plus, we dive into Sarah’s breast cancer diagnosis and how their love and resilience are carrying them through. Full of heart, humor, and radical queer joy. 🌈Through all the twists and t
The Donor Mix-Up That Made A Family
Kim and Katie walk us through their ultra-intentional path to queer family building: from meeting online and moving in together lesbian-fast, to getting certified as foster parents just in case, to navigating a heartbreaking late miscarriage after IUI in a clinic, to finding success through home insemination—and thawing donor sperm under a boob.As we dive deeper, the episode unpacks the layered co
Known Donor, Known Love: Kait, Sophie & Oliver’s Story
What happens when your best friend offers to help you make a baby?Jaimie sits down with Kait and Sophie—two queer folks trying to build their family—and their longtime friend (and now known donor!) Oliver. Together, they open up about the winding road that led them to one another, how a heartfelt email changed everything, and the love, planning, and community it takes to make a family—queer style.
Building a Family with Reciprocal IVF (at the Same Time!)
Two mamas. Two wombs. One donor. In this episode, Ana and Becky share their epic journey of building a family through simultaneous reciprocal IVF—yes, they were both pregnant at the same time. From pandemic sperm shortages to second-parent adoption logistics, this is a deeply lesbian, wildly honest, and beautifully queer tale of love, planning, and two babies born just five weeks apart.This is a s
T4T and Totally in Love: Jacob and Riley's Queer Family Journey
Jaimie sits down with Jacob and Riley, a T4T (trans-for-trans) couple redefining what it means to be a modern family. From co-parenting with Jacob’s platonic best friend to conceiving their son using nothing but love, timing, and a little queer magic (yes, really!), this episode is a beautiful, affirming deep-dive into queer love, chosen family, and intentional parenthood.They open up about stoppi
From Foster to Forever: A Gay Dad's Journey Through UK Adoption
Jaimie sits down with Liam—a Scottish-born, England-based gay dad—who shares the winding road he and his husband took to adopt their daughter through the UK’s foster-to-adopt system. From intense evaluations to surprise newborn pick-up calls, this story is filled with love, bureaucracy, and a whole lot of intention.You’ll hear how growing up under Section 28 shaped Liam’s identity, how he and his
Queer Parenting, Social Media & Fighting LGBTQ+ Hate
Caitlyn, one half of @2ladiesand2babies on social media joins Jaimie to talk all things queer parenting, social media, and the ongoing fight for LGBTQIA+ visibility. From hilarious parenting fails to the not-so-funny rise of online hate, they dive into how social media has shifted for queer creators in today's political climate. They also discuss second-parent adoption, why legal protection is
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