MHB - Men Having Babies

Are you a Chicago gay man raising children, planning a parenting journey, or simply curious about parenthood?
Tuesday, July 28 we gather at 7pm at Sidetrack Chicago - getting to know the Men Having Babies community et-large. Read all the details >> https://menhavingbabies.org/surrogacy-seminars/upcoming/user-view/post.php?permalink=men-having-babies-chicago-meetup

This event is free

Gay dads through surrogacy often face negativity and judgment about their families, especially online. And when you're publicly known like this couple, the hate comes in even higher volume.

Celebrity dads Brian and Arthur made history earlier this week by becoming the first gay dads to co-host on Irish television, joining The Six O'Clock Show. The couple has been very outspoken about their surrogacy journey to have their daughters, and naturally has also encountered hate and misconceptions about surrogacy.

"We've experienced judgment and negativity, still do daily, but I've made a choice not to let someone else's lack of understanding steal one second of our happiness," Arthur tells MHB.

"I've learned that you can't control what people say, but you can control how much power you give their words. We choose love every single time."

"To any intended parent going through this journey, my advice is simple: be proud of your story. Never apologise for how your family came to be. You don't owe anyone an explanation. If someone genuinely wants to learn, have the conversation. Education is powerful. But if someone chooses hate over understanding, that's their journey—not yours."

The couple's two daughters were carried by Brian's sister, Aoife. "We're in such a lucky position where Aoife is willing to do this," Brian previously told RTÉ Guide. "She's a young healthy woman, she's my sister, she lives in the country, and we were able to get a donor again. We're just very, very lucky. It's priceless to us, we're really pinching ourselves."

"Our children were born because of love, hope, trust, and the incredible generosity of another human being," Arthur told MHB. "There is nothing to be ashamed of in that. In fact, there is everything to celebrate. Family isn't defined by how a child comes into the world. Family is defined by love. And love will always be louder than ignorance."

Good news from France! Learn more about European surrogacy laws at the upcoming MHB conference in Brussels this November!

France 🇫🇷:
France's top court ruled on Friday that children born through surrogacy abroad should ​be recognised in France as the children of their intended parents, even though the ‌practice is banned in the country. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/top-court-rules-france-must-recognise-children-born-surrogacy-abroad-2026-07-03/

Happy Father’s Day to all the dads, dads-to-be, and intended parents who are working toward building their families.

Today, we celebrate every stage of the journey—from those dreaming of becoming parents, to those navigating egg donation and surrogacy, adoption, or foster care, to the fathers who are already enjoying the beautiful, chaotic, and rewarding adventure of parenthood.

At Men Having Babies, we know that the path to fatherhood is not always simple. It takes determination, resilience, love, and hope. Whether you're holding your child in your arms today or taking the first steps toward making that dream a reality, we celebrate you.

To all the fathers raising children with love, and to all the intended parents working tirelessly to grow their families: Happy Father’s Day. Your journey matters, your family matters, and we are honored to be part of your story.

❤️ Happy Father’s Day from Men Having Babies.

Congratulations Delaware 🎉
Delaware's Gov. Matt Meyer signed legislation modernizing the state's parentage laws, expanding legal protections for children and families formed through assisted reproduction, surrogacy, donor conception, and other paths to parenthood commonly used by LGBTQ+ people.
https://www.advocate.com/politics/states/lgbtq-families-delaware-parentage

We would also like to congratulate our longtime community partner, COLAGE (Children of Le****ns and G**s Everywhere), for helping advance this law. Learn about the work of COLAGE https://www.colage.org/advocacy

Delaware strengthens legal protections for LGBTQ+ families as other states move the opposite way The updated Parentage Act aims to ensure children have legally recognized relationships with their parents regardless of biology, marital status, or how their families were formed.