ABOVE: Photo via Men Having Babies/Facebook.
WILTON MANORS, Fla. | Men Having Babies will hold the nonprofit’s South Surrogacy Conference at The Pride Center at Equality Park April 30 to support gay men in Florida who wish to have families.
The organization has independently served prospective fathers and surrogates since 2012. After a two year-break, its seminar will return to educate attendees about how they can have children through IVF and surrogacy while meeting with over 20 LGBTQ-friendly surrogacy providers.
“The infuriating ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill has obviously presented a challenge as we prepare for this event, as does the continued COVID-19 situation,” MHB Executive Director Ron Poole-Dayan said in a statement. “We had some calls to boycott Florida altogether, and one surrogacy agency decided not to attend.
“Some see any participation in Florida events (indeed, even a visit) to be an act of support for the state’s political leadership,” he continued. “MHB does not agree with such calls for an indiscriminate boycott. Instead, we feel prospective fathers and surrogates from Florida deserve more support than ever … together we will make the world a better place, one gay family at a time.”
“We’re so excited that MHB is returning to Florida and will host their conference at The Pride Center,” the organization’s CEO Robert Boo added. Celebrating 29 years, the organization seeks to provide a safe space for South Florida’s LGBTQ community.
“We have a message for those who want to deny our existence: you cannot erase us,” he continued. “I’m grateful that MHB will be bringing their vital services of education and support to prospective parents and families in South Florida. Together, we can pursue our mission to ‘provide a welcoming, safe space – an inclusive home – that celebrates, nurtures and empowers the LGBTQ+ communities and our friends and neighbors in South Florida.’”
Registration for the conference is now open. Workshops and panels will examine major legal, medical and financial considerations while planning for surrogacy.
“One popular MHB panel event is Personal Stories,” MHB notes. “Attendees hear the real stories of local gay dads and the surrogates who helped them build their families. Advice is also presented for specific parenting situations, such as dads single by choice, which is a growing phenomenon.” View the conference’s brief agenda below:
- 8:30 – 9:00am: Registration
- 9:00 – 10:15am: Planning Your Parenting Journey: Major Legal, Medical and Financial Considerations
- 10:15 – 10:30am: Coffee Break
- 10:30 – 11:15am: Expert Panel: Legal Considerations, sponsored by Law Office of Elizabeth F. Schwartz
- 11:15am – 12:00pm: Getting Started Guide: Picking Providers, Surrogacy Resources and Financial Assistance
- 12:00 – 1:00pm: Lunch (courtesy of Simple Surrogacy) and Gay Parenting Expo – tables of surrogacy providers including agencies, clinics, lawyers, community organizations, and more
- 1:00 – 2:10pm: Breakout Sessions – learn more about participating surrogacy providers
- 2:10 – 2:30pm: Coffee Break, courtesy of Fertility Specialists of Texas, and Expo
- 2:30 – 3:00pm: Considerations for Egg Donation: Locating and Selecting Donors
- 3:00 – 3:45pm: Budgeting and Insurance, sponsored by ART Risk Financial & Insurance Solutions, Inc.
- 3:45 – 5:00pm: Medical Aspects of Surrogacy
- 5:00 – 5:15pm: Coffee Break
- 5:15 – 6:15pm: Personal Stories Panel – hear from several surrogates and parents, including psychological aspects of a journey
Special evening activities (open to conference attendees and MHB Supporting Members)
- 6:15pm: Parents / Intended Parents’ Happy Hour
View the full schedule here and learn more about the conference below:
For more information about the MHB and its April 30 conference at The Pride Center, located at 2040 N. Dixie Hwy. in Wilton Manors, visit MenHavingBabies.org. You can also view Watermark’s annual Rainbow Family Guide to read about LGBTQ parenting and more.
