LGBTQ+ charity Rainbow Families is on a mission to celebrate, empower and advocate for rainbow families at every stage of their life, including the journey to intended parenthood many will embark on this year.
In support, the charity will host its annual ‘Making Rainbow Families Seminar’ on Sunday, June 25, 2023, to assist those in the LGBTQ+ community considering starting their own family.
The online and in-person event in Sydney will explore parenting options and topics like:
- ‘Are you ready to become a Parent’ with a family psychologist?
- Fostering and adoption
- IVF and home insemination
- Surrogacy options
- Trans and gender-diverse options
- Legal Considerations for LGBTQ+ Parents
- ‘Tell them from me’ – a panel discussion featuring LGBTQ+ parents and their children.
‘Making Rainbow Families’ is the only LGBTQ+ specific program for intended parents in Australia covering multiple ways of becoming a parent. The seminar simplifies the often complex, non-traditional path to starting a family. It is ideal for those who don’t know where to start or for those who might need more specific information from experts in the field, including doctors, psychologists, lawyers, and community members sharing their lived experiences.
The first ‘Making Rainbow Families Seminar’ kicked off in 2016 and was driven by the community’s diverse needs. It has since become the go-to for intended parenting education. Rainbow Families provides an invaluable service to hundreds of community members considering the exciting (and sometimes daunting) decision to become parents, with a comprehensive program for attendees designed to reinforce a sense of community connection.
Ashley Scott is a gay dad and donor of three children. He is also the Executive Officer of Rainbow Families. “Members of the LGBTQ+ community have more options today than ever before to make their dream of a family a reality. But with so much information and misinformation, taking steps forward with confidence can be a challenge.” Ashley says.
“I found in my own parenting journey that so much information and advice is centered around heterosexual couples,” Ashley continues. “Just getting past that to find out how to become a parent can be quite confronting.”
The seminar series has become a highly anticipated event in the community, and for many participants, it is the start of lifelong friendships for themselves and their children. “Getting to know other people at the start of their parenting journey means community members also have supportive peers as they go through new stages such as pregnancy and newborns or fostering and adoption,” Ashley says. “The children and young people also have a supportive community of other kids who share a similar family story, which is important in a society that can sometimes find it difficult to be inclusive of difference.”
- To ensure the seminars are as accessible as possible for aspiring LGBTQ+ parents and allies, the sessions are being held via Zoom and in person in Sydney.
- Tickets are $30 in person and $25 virtual and are available now on the Rainbow Families Website here:
https://www.rainbowfamilies.com.au/making_rainbow_families_seminar_2023
