LGBTQ+ Family Building

June is Pride Month and the New Haven Pride Center is holding a free online/virtual LGBTQ+ Family Building panel discussion. It will be held on Thursday, June 17th, 6-7:30 PM. The idea behind the event is primarily educational: to help people understand what their choices are when it comes to family building for same sex individuals and couples.It will include Patrick Dunn, Kathy Paniati, RN from the Center, Doug NeJaine to talk about the CT Parentage Act, and Dr. Reeva Makhijani from the UConn School of Medicine. It will be moderated by Scot Haney, Meteorologist and host of BetterCT.The event will be streamed to both the New Haven Pride Center's Facebook page and the Center for Advanced Reproductive Services Facebook page, as well as youtube.Interest in family building among the LGBTQ+ community has grown tremendously, with both biological females as well as males realizing it's possible to have a genetically related child.For gay men, The Center can assist with an egg donor and a gestational carrier. For lesbian couples, one partner may choose to both provide the eggs and carry the pregnancy; or, another option is for one partner to provide the egg and the other partner carry the pregnancy. The Center can also help those transgender individuals who are planning on transitioning and want to have a genetic link to their children.3. The Center has been long-time supporters of the LGBTQ+ community, with over 1600 babies born to LGBTQ+ couples and individuals thanks to the Center's help