PP issue 13 by G&J Media

PINK PARENTING

THE world’s No.1 LGBT PARENTING Magazine

www.pink-parenting.com TWITTER # pinkparenting

issue 13 JuN/Jul 2014 FREE COPY 13

The stories, science and all things parenting for the modern family!!

WWW.PINK-PARENTING.COM

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: SUMMER FITNESS i NORDIC NATURE i ANNABEL KARMEL ALFRESCO i BABY BJÖRN

Youreyes. eyes. Your Your eyes. Hisnose. nose. His His nose.

Ourknow knowhow. how. Our Our know how.

Occasionally, even nature needs a little Occasionally, Occasionally, even even nature nature needs needs a alittle little help. couples trying to conceive, a little help. For couples trying totoconceive, a alittle help. ForFor couples trying conceive, little knowledge can a long way. Gad Lavy knowledge can gogoago way. Dr. Gad Lavy knowledge can along long way. Dr.Dr. Gad Lavy and our team have been pioneers and our team have been pioneers inin in and our team have been pioneers providing fertility therapies over providing fertility therapies for over 202020 providing fertility therapies forfor over years. women who seek help, two out years. Of women who seek help, two out years. OfOf women who seek help, two out of three end up giving birth. Call us ofofthree end up birth. Call ususto three end upgiving giving birth. Call toto start the conversation. We’ll start with start the conversation. We’ll start with aa a start the conversation. We’ll start with simple consultation. Chances are, you simple consultation. Chances are, you simple consultation. Chances are, you may have many more options than you’re may have many more options than you’re may have many more options than you’re aware of. s one little step that could aware of. s sIt’ one little step that could aware of.It’ It’ one little step that could lead to your own little miracle. lead totoyour own little miracle. lead your own little miracle.

Our Insights Our Our Insights Insights • Diagnosis & Treatment • •Diagnosis Diagnosis &&Treatment Treatment • Egg Donation • •Egg Egg Donation Donation • Gestational Surrogacy • •Gestational Gestational Surrogacy Surrogacy • Gender Selection • •Gender Gender Selection Selection • Counseling & Wellness • •Counseling Counseling &&Wellness Wellness • Same Couples • •Same Same Sex SexSex Couples Couples

Skype consultations are available. Skype Skype consultations consultations are are available. available. Visit nefertility.com Visit Visit nefertility.com nefertility.com ororor call +001 203.325.3200 a consultation call call +001 +001 203.325.3200 203.325.3200 for forfor a aconsultation consultation

JUNE /JULY 2014 07 WE LOVE Packed with news, reviews, and fantastic gadgets for the whole family to enjoy.

12 Q&A WITH... SHAUN DELLENTY We catch up with Shaun Dellenty who chats about homophobic bullying, inclusion for all, and the power of positive thinking.

16 COVER STORY: WANDA SYKES We learn more about the comedienne and actress Wanda Sykes who though struggled to come out, is now married to girlfriend Alex and has gorgeous twins via sperm donation.

22 REAL LIFE STORIES: STILL SMILING Christi, a 911 dispatcher from Oregon shares her journey from textbook pregnancy to dealing with her daughter’s rare disorder, Ataxia.

26 SPRING INTO SUMMER Lucy Miller is back with some fantastic ideas of how to get your kids outside and making the most of the great British summer!

32 NORDIC NATURE Planning where to go this summer with the kids? Then why not get back to nature, explore and relax in the stunning Nordic scenery of Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden

41 ANNABEL ALFRESCO With summer on our doorstep, Annabel shares some great recipes to enjoy eating outside with the family and making the most of the good weather.

49 BEHIND THE BRAND: BABYBJÖRN We discover how BabyBjörn has become a must have in every new parents house, baby bonding and their plans for the future.

52 PARENTAL LEAVE FOR THE PINK PARENT Our legal experts tells us all you need to know to help manage your child care commitments as recent Government changes to paternity and maternity leave come into force in April 2015.

54 ASK THE DOCTOR Dr. Gad Lavy is back to answer your questions and shares some good advice along the way.

56 AND FINALLY: WEDDING BELLS After almost 15 years of being together, the owners of Pink Parenting, Giorgio and Jeff, decide to finally get married. Woo Hoo!!

WWW.PINK-PARENTING.COM

JUNE / JULY 2014 – ISSUE 13

©Disney ©Disney. Based on the ‘Winnie the Pooh’ works by A.A.Milne and E.H.Shepard

Healthy snacking for kids from 12 months on

Available from all major supermarkets Hello I’m Annabel Winnie the Pooh & I have searched the hundred acre wood to bring you these tasty & healthy snacks for those little ones with rumblies in their tumblies. The range is naturally yummy, contains no artificial colours or flavours & made using only the finest ingredients so your toddler will have lots of energy for fun filled adventures.

JUNE /JULY 2014 www.pink-parenting.com TWITTER # pinkparenting

PINK PARENTING

THE world’s No.1 LGBT PARENTING Magazine

issue 13 JuN/Jul 2014 FREE COPY

The stories, science and all

things parenting for the

modern family!!

Welcome to Pink Parenting We are excited to be sharing issue 13 with you, filled with interesting articles, real life stories and great tips to help you be a great parent. This issue we find out about comedy star Wanda Sykes, her struggle to come out and how being a mother has changed her life. We chat with Shaun Dellenty, deputy head teacher and diversity trainer, about growing up and the inspiration behind his program Inclusion For All.

ING.COM WWW.PINK-PARENT

i BABY BJÖRN i NORDIC NATURE i ANNABEL KARMEL ALFRESCO ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: SUMMER FITNESS

Group Publisher Jeff Crockett Managing Editor Giorgio Severi giorgio@pink-parenting.com Art Editor Damian Browning Editorial Assistant Justin Stathers Contributors Linzi Bull, Louisa Ghevaert, Annabel Karmel, Dr. Gad Lavy, Lucy Miller, Justin Stathers Business Advisor Thomas Taylor Interim Sales Manager Carlo Mendez Sales Representatives Martha Adison, Pier Minole

Nutrition and fitness expert, Lucy Miller, springs us into summer with some great games and exercises to keep the whole family fit. We also hear from BabyBjörn, who explain why their baby carrier has remained so popular and legal expert, Linzi Bull offers up her expert insight about the changes in paternity and maternity laws. And finally Christi, from Oregon tell us her journey from textbook pregnancy and birth to dealing with her daughter Regan’s rare genetics disorder, Ataxia, and the effect this has had on both of their lives. So with all this and loads more, why not grab yourself a cuppa or a cocktail, sit back and enjoy our magazine. Happy reading! Team PP

Accounts Manager Jennifer Gardner US Sales Representative Sean Morrison Client Liason Officer Connie Wilson Advertising Enquiries advertising@pink-parenting.com Contact details: Pink Parenting Magazine Suite 14, 2 Mt Sion, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 1UE Tel: 0843 2895844

www.pink-parenting.com

COMING SEPT 2014! AN EXCITING DYNAMIC, INTERACTIVE READING EXPERIENCE, ANY TIME, ANY DEVICE, ANYWHERE!

WWW.PINK-PARENTING.COM

Annabel Karmel

Dr.Gad Lavy

Louisa Ghevaert

Annabel is the UK’s leading child

Dr. Lavy is the medical director and

Louisa is a expert in fertility and par-

nutritionist and best-selling author of

founder of New England Fertility, and is

enting law. Her knowledge covers

books on feeding babies & children.

an internationally recognised speaker

international and UK surrogacy,

Annabel was awarded an MBE in

and author on the topics of infertility,

donor conception, co-parenting and

June 2006 for her outstanding work

assisted reproductive technology,

embryo storage. She also regularly

in the field of child nutrition.

surrogacy and egg donation.

speaks at UK fertility sector events.

Lucy Miller

Linzi Bull

This Could be You!!

Lucy is a personal trainer, children’s

Linzi is a Partner in the Family Practice

Here at PP we are always on the look

fitness specialist, nutritionist and

at Harbottle & Lewis LLP. She is a

out for talented people to help keep

freelance journalist. She loves

Family Mediator and has experience

us up-to-date with all things parenting,

nothing more than looking after

in all aspects of relationship breakdown,

so if you have an idea for a feature or

her body and helping others to

and has particular expertise in

are a writer interested in working with

reach their goals too.

complex same-sex children law cases.

us please email our editor Giorgio!

JUNE / JULY 2014 – ISSUE 13

WE LL♥ L♥VE ♥VE

THE LATEST NEWS, VIEWS, REVIEWS, GIFTS, GADGETS AND GIZMOS

THE NEXT GENERATION CAR SEAT

HAILED AS ' THE ANSWER TO EVERY PARENT'S DREAMS' AND SURE TO BE A MUST have for all new parents, the Doona, by Simple Parenting, is the world’s first infant car seat that has a fully integrated mobility solution. Guaranteed to add simplicity, style and convenience to the fingertips of every parent, the Doona transforms from car seat to buggy in around 10 seconds and is great for newborns up to 13kg. Available in five funky colours it can be customised to suit every situation with a full range of accessories, including rain covers, sunshades and changing bags.

www.simpleparenting.co, from £299 Stockists: Babies R Us - www.babiesrus.co.uk

WWW.PINK-PARENTING.COM

JUNE / JULY 2014 – ISSUE 13

WE L♥VE THE LATEST NEWS, VIEWS, REVIEWS, GIFTS, GADGETS AND GIZMOS

MONKEYING AROUND JUST IN TIME FOR THE SUMMER HOLIDAYS, WHY not teach your kids how to swim with the aid of Monkey Swimmers, award-winning armbands designed to be the only swimming assistance they will ever need. With removable layers that can be removed one at a time as your little monkeys progress and become more confident in the water, they will be swimming in no time!

www.monkeyswimmers.com, from £19.99

We were sad to hear Spot the Dog creator and popular English author and illustrator Eric Hill had recently passed away. Eric first came up with the idea for Spot for his young son. The first book, Where's Spot? about the charming, naughty, playful puppy was published in 1980 and along with further titles was translated into more than sixty languages and sold over 60 million copies. Spot has also featured in animated series, on music CDs and more recently as an interactive iPad app.

ISSUE 13 – JUNE / JULY 2014

THE HOUSE OF MAGIC

PREPARE TO BE ENCHANTED THIS SUMMER BY THE House of Magic! Seeking shelter from a storm, abandoned young cat, Thunder, sneaks into a mysterious mansion owned by retired magician Lawrence, aka “The Illustrious Lorenzo”, and enters into a fairy-tale world filled with animals, automatons and gizmos. However Jack the rabbit and Maggie the mouse start plotting to get him kicked out. Follow their escapades with this must-see family adventure in eye-popping 3D in cinemas from 25th July.

WWW.PINK-PARENTING.COM

SEE MORE AT WWW.PINK-PARENTING.COM

FRUGi's FUNKY SUMMER STYLE

WITH SUMMER PRETTY MUCH HERE, FINDING CLOTHES FOR DAYS OUT with kids need no longer be a headache with Frugi’s new summer range.

Inspired by beaches and festivals the collection features some fab colourful prints capturing the very essence of a Summer’s Day, from cool camper vans to a myriad of marine life and from board shorts to twirly whirly skirts this latest collection from Frugi is essential for your little one's summer wardrobe! www.welovefrugi.com, from £14.00

FASHIO FAV of thNe month ★

ANNABEL'S FAMILY COOKBOOK HAVING TO COOK ONE MEAL FOR YOUR KIDS AND THEN ONE FOR THE ADULTS will be a thing of the past with Annabel’s Family Cookbook. Understanding just how tricky

it can be to find food that the whole family can enjoy together, Annabel offers loads of no-fuss, tasty recipes for all mealtimes, with easy preparation, that will get everyone around the table at the same time – from mouth-watering Roasted Chicken with Sweet Peppers to a chilled, no-bake Chocolate and Toffee Cheesecake. Mmmmmm!! www.amazon.co.uk, £20

WWW.PINK-PARENTING.COM

JUNE / JULY 2014 – ISSUE 13

WE L♥VE THE LATEST NEWS, VIEWS, REVIEWS, GIFTS, GADGETS AND GIZMOS

COMMANDO DAD RAW RECRUITS WITH THE SUCCESS OF COMMANDO DAD COMES Neil Sinclair’s second book, Commando Dad:

Raw Recruits is filled with sensible advice and practical tips, this is a fun but ultimately useful book for every man about to embark on his greatest ever mission: fatherhood.

SHOCKPROOF SNAPS

LOOKING FOR A CAMERA THAT CAN CLIMB THE HEIGHTS AND DIVE THE DEPTHS WITH you and your family? The 16-megapixel Coolpix AW120 is rugged enough for any outdoor

activities and is packed with tools to enhance, capture and record your travels. Waterproof to 18m, shockproof and freeze-proof, it can also pinpoint your explorations with built-in GPS, perfect for tracking your route and also boast built-in Wi-Fi. Available in 4 colours including a super-cool camo version perfect for those Commando Dads out there! www.nikon.co.uk, £249

www.amazon.co.uk, £10.99

CREEPER CRAWLERS

EDITO PICK of tRhSe month ★

CREEPER CRAWLERS IS THE BABY BRAND THAT is on a mission to provide unique fun products which also help babies development, and their first product is the award winning Crawl Suit, a revolutionary and super cute romper containing grippable little bugs that provides traction and protection to support and increase the chance that your child will crawl successfully. Helping

them move forward in more ways than one! www.creepercrawlers.com, £15

ISSUE 13 – JUNE / JULY 2014

WWW.PINK-PARENTING.COM

www.molo-kids.com Ad_Pink_Parenting.indd 1

24-06-2011 17:32:09

Q&A WITH...

This issue we chat with Shaun Dellenty, who through his work and experience as a deputy head teacher has devised a program, Inclusion For All that provides an environment for teachers, pupils and their family to feel safe and fully included regardless of sexuality, race or religion. Here, he talks about his being bullied at school, the turning point in his life, plans for the future and the power of positive thinking.

SD: My time at primary school, in the early ‘70s, was actually reasonably happy, but I used to also like to do things that girls liked to do, and then I would also like to do things that boys liked to do. I think confused my teachers by not fitting into how they thought a boy should act. However, when I was eleven I started secondary school and it was on my very first day when a group of boys stopped and said to me, ‘You’re queer. You’re gay. You’re one of ‘them’, you are…’ It was a very frightening moment. ‘Can they see it?’, I thought, ‘Or is

ISSUE 13 – JUNE / JULY 2014

it a guess?’. It became a daily taunt that turned into verbal and physical abuse, which then became a campaign of graffiti across the town – bus shelters, school toilets, the playing fields all had ‘Shaun is queer’ written over them. To make it worse, my mum, who was religious, and my step-dad were vocally hostile toward gay people. I knew that if I were found out, I would literally be the enemy, the stranger within the family.

Q. Did you not have any friends you could talk to about this, or a family member you could confide in? SD: To start with I began to hide behind these comedic characters and soon became known as the class clown. I became quite a different person in school where I would wear this mask I would hide behind. Understandably,

I quickly became very depressed. I remember hurling abuse at myself in the mirror in anger. One day I just had enough. I walked out of my sixth form room, walked home and sat there with a bottle of Martini and a razor blade, ‘The world doesn’t want me here’. I wanted it to end. But then I said to myself, ‘No. I’m not going to do it, I’m going to see what else is out there and see if I do belong somewhere’. It was a major juncture in my life.

Q. It’s great that you were able to turn your life around like that. How do you feel this, and other situations impacted your drive for your Inclusion For All project? SD: People sometimes ask me if it is because of what happened to me in my past that makes me do what I do now, but I always answer that my experiences don’t drive

WWW.PINK-PARENTING.COM

Q. Your Inclusion For All project and your work as a deputy-head revolves around creating an accepting and supportive environment for children, regardless of ethnicity, sexuality or beliefs, what were your own experiences like growing up?

ONE DAY I JUST HAD ENOUGH. I WALKED OUT OF MY SIXTH FORM ROOM, WALKED HOME AND SAT THERE WITH A BOTTLE OF MARTINI AND A RAZOR BLADE, ‘THE WORLD DOESN’T WANT ME HERE’. I WANTED IT TO END. BUT THEN I SAID TO MYSELF, ‘NO. I’M NOT GOING TO DO IT, I’M GOING TO SEE WHAT ELSE IS OUT THERE AND SEE IF I DO BELONG SOMEWHERE’. what I do, but it has given me the ability to empathise with people who have been made to be feel bad about themselves, whether because of their sexuality, gender whatever, I really do understand. Inclusion For All is about creating a school environment in which staff, pupils and their families can all feel fully included, fully authentic, safe and successful. It’s about showing young people in our society, the impact they can have, and sending positive messages out to the community. Whenever I see good things happening, I say, ‘Shout about it’. Positivity spreads positivity! There is fantastic stuff going on right now, and we need to shout about that louder than all of the negative things still in society. That’s why I really keep tweeting and using social media.

Q. That is such a great outlook. So how did Inclusion For All get started and what are your plans for the future, what is your ultimate goal? SD: It all began in 2009 while I was teaching, and I noticed a huge, largely ignored problem with homophobic bullying and language. As a gay man, that made me feel horrible. I’d been there myself. That Christmas, I used my experience as a former education consultant to write ‘Inclusion For All’. I then gave it to every member of staff at my school, and it had a really positive impact. Not just on homophobic bullying, but on disability and racial bullying too. It’s about celebrating heritage, diversity and different families from the very first moment that you arrive at school. It’s an organisational change, and if you get that right, you deal with homophobic, transphobic and biphobic bullying right from the start.

WWW.PINK-PARENTING.COM

Our ultimate goal is to reach a point where every new teacher that enters education as a form or employment in this country, must, by law, be trained how to support young LGBTQIA people and how to prevent bullying and discriminatory language. That’s our aim. Through the Equality Act, sexual orientation is a protected characteristic. OFSTED are working to prevent transphobic and homophobic bullying. Teachers have started getting the backup that they need – now they just need the training. Unfortunately, there is a huge national deficit in the UK in this kind of training. The charity, Stonewall, are doing a great job, and Elly Barnes does fantastic work working in schools around the country with her Educate and Celebrate program, but even if we did this for 10 years, we still wouldn’t be able to cover all the schools that we need to go to, but we do our best. We’re currently working with Amnesty International, CBBC, the Hyper Fusion Theatre Company, faith groups, and schools all over the country, and soon we should have the support and expertise to become a full-scale charity. Everything’s really taking off.

Q. As well as school, home is the other important place to have an inclusive, nurturing environment. What advice do you have for parents looking to bring up their kids in an accepting and supportive way? SD: I think that to be a good parent, you need to be prepared to model good behaviour. You need to be able to place the needs of the child first. Be honest and authentic with them, have the willingness to listen, and have high aspirations for them too. Don’t place ceilings on them, or keep referring back to how you

were at school. So often, I hear something like, ‘I wasn’t very good at maths either, but I’ve done all right…’, which creates a self-fulfilling prophecy. Obviously displaying empathy to your child and accepting their identity is key, too. There’s a balancing act involved, though you’ve got to know when to support them and when to allow them to be independent and learn from their mistakes. Don’t let them get too anxious, but don’t wrap them in cotton wool either. Finally, and maybe most importantly of all, teach them from a very early age to understand differences between themselves and other people.

Q. And finally, LGBT issues have been in the media a lot this year, Conchita Wurst winning Eurovision being one of the biggest lately. What are your thoughts on this? SD: It was really positive. It challenged everybody – LGBT people and heterosexual people alike. Anything that does that is really exciting, but at the end of the day, Conchita is just a very talented human being breaking down some gender stereotypes. It helped to highlight transphobia, too, even within the gay community. She put herself out there, and some people were behind her while others were horrible about her. That’s when discrimination shows its true colours. Politically, her act was very powerful… and of course it was a fabulous frock. Again, it’s all about sending positive messages so spread the word! Shaun Dellenty is Deputy Head-teacher at Alfred Salter Primary School and founder of the ‘Inclusion For All’ project For more info please visit www.inclusionforall.co.uk

JUNE / JULY 2014 – ISSUE 13

No matter where you are in the world, your journey to family begins here. We welcome international patients. Take your first step and give Dr.Bruce Shapiro or Dr.Said Daneshmand a call today to start your journey!

The Fertility Center of Las Vegas (FCLV) has been dedicated to providing the highest level of reproductive care for more than two decades. Dr. Bruce Shapiro & Dr. Said Daneshmand work tirelessly to offer effective, individualized care for male and female-factor infertility. The doctorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; commitment to advancing the science of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (REI) has won international acclaim. Their peer-reviewed studies and papers have brought worldwide recognition. For more information please visit our website.

TheFertilityCenterLV.com or call +001.702.254.1777

CELEBRITY SPOTLIGHT

WORDS_ LOUISA GHEVAERT

Wanda Sykes, has been called one of the funniest stand-up comics by her peers and ranks among Entertainment Weekly’s 25 Funniest People in America, she is an Emmy Award winning writer, comedienne and actress famous for her straight-laced intelligence and her controversial directness.

EARLY LIFE

Wanda was born in Portsmouth, Virginia, in 1964 and was raised in Gambrills, Maryland near Washington D.C. Her mother worked as a banker and her father was a US Colonel who worked at the Pentagon. Wanda enjoyed a comfortable middle-class childhood and attended Arundel High School. She knew from a very young age that she was gay but it only led to feelings of confusion. Having been born and raised in a traditional religious community, she felt compelled to live her life as a heterosexual woman. In a recent interview with Oprah Winfrey, she explained that she tried to pray the gay away by saying “I have these feelings, God, and these feelings are real to me. But if they’re not from you, please take them away and allow me to do what I should be doing”. Having graduated from Hampton University, Wanda took up a job as a contracting specialist and worked for the National Security Agency (NSA). Having worked at the NSA for 5 years, Wanda felt unfulfilled and decided to pursue her passion for stand-up comedy. In 1987 She took part in the Coors Light Super Talent Showcase in Washington, aged 28. Although she didn’t win the contest, the audience loved her and Wanda found her calling. Never one to shy away from a difficult or uncertain situation, Wanda took the leap in 1992 and moved to New York to pursue a career in comedy. She got her big break in the Big Apple when she met popular comedian Chris Rock and was given the opportunity »

est known for TV comedies such as Curb Your Enthusiasm and The New Adventures of Old Christine, she has more recently hosted her own late-night talk show, The Wanda Sykes Show and has appeared in several hit movies and has also voiced characters in blockbusting animations Over the Hedge, Ice Age: Continental Drift, Rio and The Simpsons. In 2008, aged 44, Wanda publicly came out as gay and married her partner Alex Niedbalski. She has since fought hard to set the stage for gay people. In 2010, she brought her intelligent, political humour to the White House, becoming the first African-American woman, and the first openly gay comedienne, to perform at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner.

ISSUE 13 – JUNE / JULY 2014

WWW.PINK-PARENTING.COM

JUNE / JULY 2014 – ISSUE 13

CELEBRITY SPOTLIGHT Wanda voiced a school therapist in the 2013 episode ‘What Animated Women Want’ of Matt Groening’s animated sitcom ‘The Simpsons’

Wanda’s second comedy special, ‘Wanda Sykes: I’ma Be Me’ premiered on HBO in October 2009 and received two Emmy Awards nominations.

» to be his opening act. Wanda’s journey to becoming one of the most recognisable comedians in America had begun. She joined Chris Rock’s writing team for the hit comedy sitcom The Chris Rock Show for which she won an Emmy in 1999 and also made many appearances in a variety of TV shows and movies. Despite her growing success and gaining a reputation for being sharp witted and straight-edged, Wanda still felt unable to truly be herself and come out as gay. She married record producer Dave Hall in 1991. Despite knowing that she was gay she felt that it would be safer to pursue relationships with men. Although she divorced in 1998, she has never publicly spoken about their marriage and her reasons for ending it but admits that despite having had several relationships with men she always felt that they ended because of a lack of connection and intimacy.

friends and confidantes. Her conservative parents struggled to accept that she was a lesbian and refused to attend the wedding. Despite the turbulence that coming out had caused within her family, Wanda was finally in a place where she was happy and marrying Alex allowed her to find the true love and intimacy that had been missing in her life for so long. One month later, in

I’MA BE ME

For Wanda, the end of her marriage was a ‘liberating moment’. She had finally come to terms with who she was. Despite not coming out publicly, she decided to embrace her sexuality and began dating women. Aged 40, Wanda’s personal life hit a turning point. She was diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ, a condition where the cells in the ducts of the breasts begin to turn cancerous. She underwent a double mastectomy to minimise her chances of getting breast cancer, her mother was due to join her in Los Angeles to support her through her recovery. Wanda decided that this was the moment to be honest with her family about being gay but things didn’t go well. Her mother was devastated and refused to see Wanda. In the summer of 2006, on a ferry boat ride with friends, she met her now wife Alex. Wanda admits that when she met Alex everything fell in to place and a voice inside her head told her “See, that’s what you need, Wanda, that’s what you need”. They married in a private ceremony in California unbeknown to anyone except her closest

ISSUE 13 – JUNE / JULY 2014

Wanda has one of the most identifiable voices in Hollywood and has voiced characters in many animated blockbusters and also voiced sassy, short-tempered skunk, Stella in DreamWorks computer-animated comedy ‘Over the Hedge’.

Wanda also voices Sid’s Granny in the fourth instalment of the ‘Ice Age’ blockbuster series, ‘Ice Age: Continental Drift’ and recently she also starred in basketball comedy ‘The Hot Flashes’ with the likes of Brooke Shields and Daryl Hannah. November 2008, Californian voters passed Proposition 8, a ban on same-sex marriage and Wanda no longer felt that she could continue to be true to herself if she sat quietly on the side-lines and watched as her marriage to Alex was being threatened. It galvanized her resolve to come out publicly and to fight for LGBT rights on a more vocal level. At a rally in Las Vegas, Wanda came out in front of thousands of demonstrators saying “I’m proud to be a woman, I am proud to be a black woman, and I’m proud to be gay. Let’s go get our damn equal rights”. When interviewed by Piers Morgan and asked what made her come out so publicly, she said that she had no intention of making a speech that day but was overcome by anger and felt personally attacked by the passage of Proposition 8.

BE INSPIRED…

BEING GAY IS HARDER THAN BEING BLACK

Since coming out in 2008, Wanda has become a public campaigner for LGBT rights. She has appeared on many chat shows including the Ellen DeGeneres Show and the Oprah Winfrey Show to talk about LGBT rights and homophobia. She uses her celebrity status and quick wit to engage with people and challenge their attitudes towards gay people. In a HBO special I’ma Be Me, Wanda, true to her no nonsense manner exclaimed that in her experience “it’s harder being gay than being black”. She explained that “There’s some things that I had to do as a gay that I didn’t have to do as a black. I didn’t have to come out as black”. She also ripped »

C R E AT E A RO O M TO B E L OV E D A N D C H E R I S H E D WWW.PINK-PARENTING.COM

www.custardandcr umble.co.uk

CELEBRITY SPOTLIGHT THERE ARE STILL 29 US STATES WHERE YOU CAN GET FIRED FOR BEING GAY. MARRIAGE IS ONE THING, BUT WE STILL NEED EQUALITY. BECAUSE IF YOU CAN’T GET A JOB NO ONE IS GOING TO MARRY YOU. NOBODY WANTS YOUR BROKE ASS.

» into the persistent chorus of people who insist that being gay is a choice, saying “Being gay is not a choice, if you believe that it’s a choice then you’re saying that straight people are straight because they choose not to be gay”. Appearing on the Oprah Winfrey Show in October 2013, Wanda shared her thoughts on what still needs to be done to change people’s attitudes and recognise the rights of gay people. She said “There are still 29 states where you can get fired for being gay. Marriage is one thing, but we still need equality. Because if you can’t get a job no one is going to marry you. Nobody wants your broke ass”. In 2010, Wanda was awarded the Stephen F. Kolzak Award by “the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), which is presented to openly gay media professionals who have made a difference promoting and advancing equal rights in the community.

practical issues as well and it’s important to take care to manage these issues effectively from the outset, regardless of whether or not you’re a celebrity like Wanda. A little investment in expert legal advice at the start can really pay dividends in the long run, particularly if prospective parents’ personal circumstances are complex or their family building plans involve a known donor, interfamily donation or a co-parent. Getting to grips with the law and the conferral of legal rights and status following fertility treatment and donor conception offers greater protection for parents and children and it can bring with it valuable peace of mind.

FAMILY LIFE

Despite becoming such a notable public and political spokesperson for equal rights for same-sex couples in the last few years, Wanda has worked hard to ensure that her wife and family stay protected and out of the scope of the media. Wanda and Alex had twins through donor conception and Alex gave birth to Olivia Lou and Lucas Claude in 2009. In an interview with Jay Leno, Wanda joked that ‘all hell broke loose’ after the family of four returned home. “It was like they were tag teaming us” she recalled, “You put one down, and the other starts crying”.

A LASTING LEGACY

Wanda’s multi-faceted life and career makes her a role model for many. She is successful and many of her achievements and actions play out in the public eye. She is also a hard working mother of donor conceived twins and her determination to live life to the full and embrace family life as a gay woman will no doubt continue to inspire others to fulfil their dreams of becoming LGBT parents as well. Law and policy surrounding fertility treatment, donor conception and LGBT families continues to evolve and celebrities like Wanda have a valuable platform with which to inform others and bring about positive change.

DONOR CONCEPTION

The decision to start a family is a big step, and all the more so “when it involves donor conception and fertility treatment. The journey “to parenthood for those undergoing fertility treatment and donor conception can be long, emotional and time-consuming. It’s all too easy to focus on the medical aspects and a positive pregnancy result and to leave to one side the associated legal issues. Fertility treatment and donor conception can raise a raft of legal and

ISSUE 13 – JUNE / JULY 2014

Louisa Ghevaert is a leading expert in UK fertility, surrogacy, parenting and family law, a prominent author and a passionate supporter of parents, children and families. She is a partner with Porter Dodson LLP - www.porterdodsonfertility.com.

WWW.PINK-PARENTING.COM

PinkParent_iCandy_Peach LE_Layout 1 08/06/2012 12:57 Page 1

iCandy peach

London limited edition

deliciously British experience

www.icandyworld.com www.facebook.com/iCandyWorld

REAL LIFE STORIES This issue’s real life story is shared by Christi, a 911 dispatcher living in Oregon, she tells us the journey she has taken from textbook pregnancy and birth of her beautiful daughter, Ragen, through to dealing with her offspring’s Ataxia and the effect the disorder has had on both of their lives.

never thought I’d be where I am today. I always had big dreams of “happily ever after”. I had the American dream many years ago, for a short while. My partner and I both had good jobs, I owned my own house, we had two dogs, nice cars and her daughter. After a couple of years together I wanted my own biological child so we contacted my partner’s sperm donor and asked if he would help me have a child. He agreed! We skipped all of the doctor’s offices, the spinning and cleaning of the sperm and so on and went with inseminating at home. Think baster, only different, certainly NOT “the old fashioned way”. It took no time at all and I was pregnant! I had the most amazing text-book pregnancy, I never felt better in my life and nine months later my baby girl was born. I should have known this little girl would be special, Ragen was born on 7/11 and 11:11am, pretty cool I think. The birth was normal, nothing outstanding about it, it too was pretty text-book. She was a very easy baby, everything about her was very routine, I loved every single second of being a new mom. Flash forward to her first birthday, she still wasn’t walking on her own at all, not even close. We were concerned and sought doctor’s opinions, we didn’t get too far. It was suggested that we try some early intervention and then they wanted to put braces on her ankles. Nothing was helpful, in fact the braces made it even more difficult for her to walk and we certainly didn’t get any answers.

FINALLY, A DIAGNOSIS

Ragen turned two and I had recently become a single parent. She was still not progressing physically, she really wasn’t up on her feet walking unassisted until she was over two years old. I sought help from the local children’s hospital where they put her through hell. After many, many, many tests and even more prodding, poking and impatient, rude doctors we were told she had, “mild ataxic cerebral palsy”. Basically that meant she had a wide,

ISSUE 13 – JUNE / JULY 2014

floppy gait (ataxia) and mild CP. They told me she would be able to do everything that everyone else could do, it would just take her a little longer to do it. Otherwise she was expected to grow up, live long, get married, have children and so on, but some things would be just a little harder for her than others. She wasn’t going to be a sports star by any means but she was going to be just fine, so they said.

TODDLING TEENAGER

Here I am today, my now teenage daughter is 3 inches taller than me at 5 foot 9 but walks like a toddler. She is in a wheelchair almost full time, she can barely walk unassisted, she falls easily, gets hurt often, has slurred speech. She can not bathe or dress herself, she can’t brush her teeth or comb her hair. She has severe cognitive delays, she’s much younger mentally and emotionally than her true age. After several years of going from doctor to doctor and having test after horrible test done we were finally told she doesn’t have CP (which doesn’t get worse), she has an unknown type of cerebellar ataxia. In a nutshell her cerebellum, which controls fine and gross motor functions, is deteriorating. As it continues to deteriorate so will her condition, her motor skills will continue to worsen, some tremors have even started in her hands. Some types of ataxia can shorten one’s life, at this point we do not know if she has one of those types. It’s possible she could have a type that has yet to be discovered leaving even more questions as to what that all could mean for her. She will need 24 hour care for life, that they do know.

CARING FOR RAGEN

I work full time and long hours at a very stressful job that requires a minimum of thirteen hours of overtime per week. I’ve painstakingly struggled for years to get care for Ragen so I can work. She can »

WWW.PINK-PARENTING.COM

JUNE / JULY 2014 – ISSUE 13

REAL LIFE STORIES ATAXIA MEANS ‘LACK OF ORDER’. THOSE WITH ATAXIA WILL HAVE PROBLEMS WITH MOVEMENT, BALANCE AND SPEECH. OVER 150,000 PEOPLE IN THE US AND OVER 10,000 PEOPLE IN THE UK HAVE SOME FORM OF ATAXIA. FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT ATAXIA.ORG OR ATAXIA.ORG.UK

» not be left alone at all and I certainly can’t afford to pay a nanny, a luxury I dream of. I have relied heavily on my parents, my best friend and a good family friend to help care for Ragen. Often at times she is passed around between two, three, sometimes four different people throughout one of my 12.5 hour shifts, then I go pick her up in the middle of the night when I get off duty. Last winter I was finally able to get 70 hours per month of care paid for through state disability services and I hired some college girls as part time caregivers. A portion of those 70 hours is supposed to be respite care so I can do something for myself. Ha! Now that’s funny. I soon had to beg for more hours and they gave me 20 more, so I’m up to 90 hours per month. In August I did the math and found that I needed at least 210 hours of care for Ragen so I could work all of the time that I was expected to work. My 90 hours wasn’t going to come close to covering that and I certainly didn’t have any time for respite. I contacted my case worker explaining my issue, adding that my day time care giver was taking the month of August off. I asked if there were emergency funds to help get me through the month, the answer was, “sorry to hear that but no, there aren’t any funds.”. I figured.

SINGLE SITUATION

RAISING KIDS IS TOUGH, BEING A SINGLE PARENT IS HARD, RAISING A DISABLED CHILD ALONE IS THE HARDEST THING I’VE EVER DONE. THIS IS JUST A GLIMPSE INTO THIS GAY PARENTS LIFE. THANK GOODNESS RAGEN IS SO INCREDIBLY HAPPY, BECAUSE IF SHE IS HAPPY THAT’S ALL THAT ULTIMATELY MATTERS.

I’ve been single for almost 7 years now, doing this all on my own. Simple things many might take for granted are front and center in my life, constantly reminding me of my situation. Things like running to the store for milk, if Ragen is in bed I can not leave the house. When I have had a long, hard day at work there’s no one there to say, “can you give her a bath tonight?”. When I feel like I can’t keep it together or I just need a break there’s no one there to ask, “can you take over for a bit?”. Ragen is going to continue to get worse, she will always need 24 hour care and we don’t know what exactly her future holds. I’m still dreaming of happily ever after and the American dream, but how does someone in my shoes go about meeting anyone? Working 50 plus hours per week, often with only one day off, doesn’t permit for much recreation time, besides, who would watch Ragen? I live in a small city that doesn’t have much of a visible gay community. There are two gay bars in town but that is no place for me to be, besides, that’s not where I want to meet people. I’ve tried online dating here and there with negative results. Every time I get really down and ask what’s wrong with me, my best friend always says

ISSUE 13 – JUNE / JULY 2014

“nothing is wrong with you, your pool is just smaller than straight people”, perhaps that’s true. There are positives to this tale and there are reasons I keep forging ahead. Ragen is one of the happiest, sweetest, funniest kids I know. I always say, “everybody loves Ragen”, because it’s totally true, I hear it often. She has never met a stranger, she loves babies, singing, dancing, musicals and most of all, Glee. We were lucky enough to go on a Make A Wish trip earlier this year to meet the cast of Glee and she was in heaven. I’m not going to lie, so was I! Ragen has no clue that she has any sort of disability, she’s fine, she can do anything, just ask her. That makes me get up and keep going each day. Gay, straight, black or white, we are all doing our best to care for our families. Raising kids is tough, being a single parent is hard, raising a disabled child alone is the hardest thing I’ve ever done. This is just a glimpse into this gay parents life. Thank goodness Ragen is so incredibly happy, because if she is happy that’s all that ultimately matters. To keep up-to-date with Christi and Ragen’s journey, please visit their blog at www.ourjourneywithataxia.blogspot.com

WWW.PINK-PARENTING.COM

.m wwwwww .m oo c cc icsi.sc.oc .ou. ku k

will be be You will happy to to know know that Moccis Moccis come in in adult adult sizes sizes too. too.

Moccis keep feet of all sizes warm and Moccis keep feet of all sizes warm and cosy. The skid proof leather sole will cosy. The skid proof leather sole will keep little ones from slipping and the keep little ones from slipping and the double elastic makes sure that they stay double elastic makes sure that they stay on. No more cold feet and no more dirty on. No more cold feet and no more dirty shoes indoors. shoes indoors. Ideal for packing and travelling  Ideal for packing and travelling  Wipe clean or machine wash  Wipe clean or machine wash  Easy to put on and stays on  Easy to put on and stays on  Perfect gift for parents / grandparents  Perfect gift for parents / grandparents Matching designs for all the family  Matching designs for all the family  www.moccis.co.uk www.moccis.co.uk info@moccis.co.uk info@moccis.co.uk +44 (0)333 577 7500 +44 (0)333 577 7500

SUMMER FITNESS

Trainers on? Check. Waterproofs packed? (just in case) Check. Smiles and laughter at the ready? Check. You really don’t need very much this Summer to get fit and have fun as a family. As the warmer weather has arrived it’s up to us as parents to encourage our kids to be active, so hide away the games console and make the most of the great outdoors.

ISSUE 13 – JUNE / JULY 2014

WWW.PINK-PARENTING.COM

WORDS_ LUCY MILLER

Thankfully it needn’t cost a penny to get them moving and having fun. Infact most fun activities we can get them doing are free and we can benefit from them too - getting outside not only tops up our vitamin D levels, which research shows can help with fat loss, mood enhancement and increased energy, but also the green goodness and fresh air can give you a huge surge of endorphins, the happy hormones that can regulate your mood, suppress appetite and make you generally feel amazing inside and out. So what are you waiting for? Here are just a few things you can do this Spring - for free!

WALK IT OUT

Fresh air coupled with gorgeous scenery is an amazing way to spend the day. Find some walking trails with your family and take in some breathtaking views while discovering seasonal plants, trees and wildlife. Why not pack a healthy picnic consisting of stuffed pitta breads, fruit salads and homemade muffins too? Sitting down mid walk to eat as a family is a great way to break up your walk, keep your energy levels high and reward yourself for all your hard work so far. There are some great walks throughout the UK countryside so why not check out www.nationaltrail.co.uk and www.nationaltrust. org.uk which are both great sources of info to find help you find local trails. Walking poles A.K.A long tree branches at the ready? »

WWW.PINK-PARENTING.COM

JUNE / JULY 2014 – ISSUE 13

SUMMER FITNESS

GET YOUR FINGERS GREEN

It might not be warm enough to start planting, but it’s certainly warm enough to start thinking about and planning your garden. Sit down with your children and plot this year’s garden on paper, making a list of supplies you need such as compost, seeds and plants, then put on your gloves and start digging and prepping the garden for planting. Gardening has been shown too help boost strength, endurance and flexibility, while simply spending time in nature reduces stress and lowers blood pressure. Giving your child their own plant patch will also give them a good sense of responsibility - it’s lovely seeing them take ownership of their plants. Encourage them to water them daily, using a watering can and think of the strength and endurance they’ll be developing whilst carrying it back and forth.

GRAB A BALL, HAVE A BALL

Research shows that children who exercise regularly at a young age are far more likely to develop a positive relationship with creativity, so as the warmer weather approaches make time to go outside and play ball – t’s up to you if that means a casual game of catch or why not encourage your child to make up their own game with their own rules? Playing a ball game, like catch is not only a fun way for kids to develop hand-eye coordination but according to MyFitnesspal.com, a 150lb adult can burn up to 85 calories per 30 minutes during this type of activity, a great way to shift those extra pounds whilst keeping the kids entertained!

GO ON A TREASURE HUNT

DUST OFF YOUR WHEELS

Treasure hunts can be so much fun - and will challenge your child’s brain as well as their body. Whilst your children get ready for playtime, sit down and make a list of things for them to locate either in your garden or at the local park - like a green leaf, somewhere to shade you from the sun, an insect and a particular plant like a daisy or daffodil, then send them off to find them all. Have them reaching high and searching low for all the objects plus have a few small prizes for when they finish to make it extra special. It’s a great game to play with their friends too. Want to turn up the fun a little? Why not make it more hi-tech by letting the kids take photos of the items they found on your iPhone or digital camera. They can then turn those photos into a fun collage that they can take onto school to show their classmates. »

Regardless of age, cycling is a great way to spend the day. Even if your child is too small to cycle on his or her own, why not look into getting a bike seat or trailer, which allows you to bring your little one along for the ride? Pick a scenic route that finishes somewhere fun like the park or a smoothie bar like www.boostjuicebars.co.uk, where you can get an antioxidant and vitamin hit with lots of taste. Just make sure to not head out without your helmets and don’t forget to take a few extra layers - your child could get chilly on a bike, especially when someone else is doing all the peddling...

ISSUE 13 – JUNE / JULY 2014

WWW.PINK-PARENTING.COM

embrace life

SUMMER FITNESS

POTATO SACK RACE

Lastly – it’s important for all children (and patents) to be silly and giggle as much as possible – after all, that’s what being a child is all about. An easy way to get that heart pumping and the giggles flowing is to enjoy a good old-fashioned family “potato sack” race. Use some large sturdy sacks or pillowcases and hop into action! The jumping will not only help develop their co-ordination and work their entire lower body but they will also get out of breath and get their heart pumping as they jump as fast and as far as they can to the finishing line.

BEAT THE CLOCK

Did you know that children who spend two hours per day watching television or using a computer are 8 per cent more likely to develop a decrease in social competence and an 8 per cent increase in social and emotional health concerns? So turn that computer game into a real game and design an assault course that you can all have to do (yes you too!). This could be in the back garden or the park and include ducking and diving over park benches, doing ‘Hop Scotch’ through hoops, doing 10 star jumps as fast as possible before finishing with walking the “tightrope” using a jump rope or garden hose. Be creative as possible and time yourselves. The fastest component gets a prize!

Whichever activities you decide to do this Spring, rest assured you and your little ones will be able to have lots of fun using just a few of these ideas, whilst getting fit and letting of steam in the great outdoors. Let your imaginations run wild and be mad for the day - making use of the environment and resources around you; Cbeebies has nothing on this!

CREATE MEMORIES

There’s nothing quite like fresh air, exercise and family time - and you simply can’t beat the fun you’ll have in the great outdoors, which is why the national trust has introduced a programme called ‘50 things to do before you’re 11 ¾’ – www.50things.org.uk Take inspiration from the programme and get your little ones to embrace their wild side with activities such as star gazing, flying a kite and rolling down a really big hill. The government recommends children get a minimum of 60 minutes of exercise a day, and with this fun list they will be doing exactly that. There’ll be no stop in them.

ISSUE 13 – JUNE / JULY 2014

WWW.PINK-PARENTING.COM

As a fully insured, leading provider of private As a fully care, insured, provider of private maternity UK leading Birth Centres understands maternity care, UK Birth Centres understands your right to choose the type of care you receive yourthroughout right to choose type of and carebeyond. you receive your the pregnancy throughout your pregnancy and beyond.

Want to be a dad? Lesbian couples and single women are looking for genuine gay men willing to donate sperm by personal arrangement.

10% OFF

Wherever you choose to have your baby, support from our Wherever you choose have your baby, support from our you choose totohave your baby, experienced and dedicated midwives willsupport ensure that you’re from our experienced and dedicated midwives experienced dedicated midwives willhave ensure that you’re more likely toand enjoy your pregnancy and a positive birth will ensure that you’re more likely to and enjoy youra positive birth more likely to enjoy your pregnancy have experience. pregnancy and have a positive birth experience. experience.

FOR PP

Looking for the perfect present? Looking for the perfect present?

READERS

UK Birth Centres also offers various luxury retreats to support UK Centres also offers various luxury retreats support youBirth before conception, during pregnancy and fortothe early you conception, daysbefore as a new family. during pregnancy and for the early days as a new family. Call 0800 3800 579, email info@ukbirthcentres.com Call 0800 or 3800 email info@ukbirthcentres.com visit579, www.ukbirthcentres.com or visit www.ukbirthcentres.com

Pride Angel is the leading Worldwide LGBT Parenting Connection Site. Visit our site for more information about Legal Rights, Health Screening and Home Insemination.

www.prideangel.com

Adoption Change a child’s future. And yours too.

If you’re thinking about adoption, give us a call to find out more.

O116 3O5 3O51 www.spaceforachild.com Email: spaceforachild@leics.gov.uk M0673_F&A PINK PARENTING AD_190X136MM_P.indd 1

24/10/2013 13:23

PACK YOUR BAGS

Stuck on where to go for the school holidays? Well we are here to help as we have found four fantastic hotels that let you experience the stunning Nordic Nature with all it’s unique and breath-taking sceneries. So whether it’s searching for the famous Northern Lights by dog sled, hiking, mountain biking or just relaxing in an Icelandic hot spring, there are so many activities to do that will get the whole family out and about in the fresh air and involved this summer.

ISSUE 13 – JUNE / JULY 2014

WWW.PINK-PARENTING.COM

WORDS_ GIORGIO SEVERI

ION LUXURY ADVENTURE HOTEL / ICELAND

Located less than an hour’s drive from the hustle and bustle of Reykjavík city centre, and set against a backdrop of majestic mountainous lava fields, The ION Luxury Adventure Hotel is an unforgettable experience. This 4 star hotel, which opened its doors in February 2013, is built from innovative materials using sustainable practices and blending respect for its natural surroundings with stylish design and luxurious comfort. Whether you are seeking a quiet, soulful soak beneath the Northern Lights, or a family trek across the ancient glaciers, this hotel is a perfect location to experience the very best of what Iceland is all about. www.ioniceland.is

WWW.PINK-PARENTING.COM

JUNE / JULY 2014 – ISSUE 13

PACK YOUR BAGS

STORFJORD HOTEL / NORWAY

Overlooking the breathtaking Storfjord and surrounded by the majestic Sunnmøre Alps, the Storfjord Hotel is located high above the village of Ovre Glomset, offering a traditional setting with first class accommodation, making it the perfect get away to breath in some mountain air and enjoy time with the family. Newly renovated, the hotel is nestled in six acres of private grounds amidst thousands of acres of private forest and is set between three mountains and a lake offering dramatic scenery every direction you look! www.storfjordhotel.com

ISSUE 13 – JUNE / JULY 2014

WWW.PINK-PARENTING.COM

15% OFF J ust enter

PPP15%

at checkout (-:

www.trend

ykid.co.uk

only

Lilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Steps BIG Adventures!

Fun Travel Sets for Kids! Travel Buddies luggage sets are available online at www.trendykid.co.uk, amazon.co.uk and select retail stores

FACEBOOK.COM/GOTRAVELBUDDIES

TWITTER.COM/GOTRAVELBUDDIES

PACK YOUR BAGS

KAKSLAUTTANEN HOTEL / FINLAND

Hotel Kakslauttanen is home to an amazing Igloo Village which has a combination of unique glass and snow igloos, along with the World’s largest snow restaurant. The hotel is said to have one of the Arctic Circle’s best views of the stunning natural light display of the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis). The hotel which is nestled in the wilderness near Finland’s Urho Kekkonen National Park also offers various log cabin as alternative accommodation, perfect for that family fairy-tale adventure. www.kakslauttanen.fi

ISSUE 13 – JUNE / JULY 2014

WWW.PINK-PARENTING.COM

HAND-PICKED VILLAS • SOUGHT-AFTER LOCATIONS • TAILOR MADE SERVICE To book your luxury villa holiday call our travel experts now on 020 7563 7995 or view our full portfolio at www.cvvillas.com

PACK YOUR BAGS

COPPERHILL MOUNTAIN LODGE / SWEDEN

On the very top of Sweden’s picturesque Mount Förberget, more than 730 meters above sea level, rests this idyllic getaway. With a very much home-from-home feeling, the lodge is a gem in Sweden’s snowy mountains. The creation of master architect Peter Bohlin famed for his work on the iconic Apple stores, Bohlin has succeeded in making the hotel’s 112 earth-toned guest rooms feel lustrous and comfortable as well as invitingly private. The summer season in the Nordic wilderness offers a chance to experience the crisp air and spectacular bright nights whilst enjoying strolls and hikes in the mountains and lush forests. www.copperhill.se/en

ISSUE 13 – JUNE / JULY 2014

WWW.PINK-PARENTING.COM

205_11d_14_ins_pink_pareting.indd 1

FLYING, SWISS MADE – SWISS.COM

12.09.11 10:02

gay and gay-friendly places to stay across Europe than any other website

H a n d - p i c k e d p l a c e s t o s tay F o r g ay & s t r a i g H t t r av e l l e r s

The Chateau Ribagnac, Limousin. Photo: PaulDawson.co.uk

Eco REtREats – tIPIs & YURts DYfI foREst, walEs

Situated in a beautiful and remarkably remote location in the heart of the Dyfi Forest, Eco Retreats is the ideal place to escape the pressures of the outside world and find some space to reconnect with nature, to your loved ones and to yourself. Each tipi or yurt has its own toilet and shower unit and is situated on its own secluded spot so you can really make the most of the peace and quiet. www.ecoretreats.co.uk

Fabulous & family friendly...

Our collection ranges from boutique hotels in city destinations to large houses to rent near the sea in England, France, Spain, Scotland and Wales.... and most of our properties welcome children of all ages - see our child friendly theme.

View over 3,800 hotels, B&Bs andSoft guesthouses across all of leather shoes designed to give Europe at gaywelcome.com total comfort for little growing feet +44 (0)1495 311123 Further Afieldwww.inch-blue.com is a proud member of the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association: www.iglta.org

Take his breath away on a Swiss city break. Zürich

MySwitzerland.com/gaylesbian Discover the charm of our Swiss cities.

nbebe.co.uk

0871 423 5656

ote PPG11 when ordering

elsea Green, Chiswick, Crouch End, Dulwich, Putney, Temple Fortune and Notting Hill),

m, Cobham, Colchester, Edinburgh, Exeter, Guildford, Hale, Harpenden, Harrogate, Kingston,

rt, Oxford, Salisbury, Sevenoaks, St Albans, Tunbridge Wells, Winchester and Windsor.

FLYING, SWISS MADE – SWISS.COM

205_11d_14_ins_pink_pareting.indd 1

06/06/2011 15:54

H a n d - p i c k e d p l a c e s t o s tay F o r g ay & s t r a i g H t t r av e l l e r s

12.09.11 10:02

T H E H U M A N R I G H T S CA M PA I G N F O U N D AT I O N

Family Project The HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN FOUNDATION FAMILY PROJECT works for fairness and equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender families. Through partnerships with a broad coalition of organizations and individuals, the Family Project dramatically improves the way key institutions serve our families with its three main initiatives: WELCOMING SCHOOLS: A comprehensive, LGBT-inclusive approach to addressing family diversity, gender stereotyping and bullying in elementary school environments. HEALTHCARE EQUALITY INDEX: Establishes the "gold standard" for healthcare institutions regarding policy and practice with LGBT families. ALL CHILDREN â&#x20AC;&#x201C; ALL FAMILIES: Provides innovative resources and training to help foster care and adoption agencies welcome and support LGBT families. Visit the Human Rights Campaign website at WWW.HRC.ORG/FAMILY for more information.

RECIPES_ ANNABEL KARMEL

ANNABEL ALFRESCO

WWW.PINK-PARENTING.COM

With the warmer months just arriving, it’s a great time to start eating outdoors, making the most of the good weather and getting the kids enjoying the fresh air. So whether it’s a barbecue or a picnic, any alfresco dining is a great way to try out some of Annabel’s delicious summer snacks which are sure to impress and spoil your friends and family!

JUNE / JULY 2014 – ISSUE 13

ANNABEL ALFRESCO

BERRY BURST SMOOTHIE

Smoothies are a great way to tempt any fussy eaters to have a nutritious breakfast or just to hide the fact that you are giving them a couple of portions of fruit and strawberries contain higher levels of vitamin C than any other berries!

Ingredients • 85g fresh or frozen summer berries • 1 small banana, peeled and cut into chunks • 3 tbsp strawberry yoghurt • 2 tsp clear honey • 4 tbsp cold milk Method If using frozen fruits leave them to defrost for about 20 minutes. Put the banana, fruit/berries, yoghurt and honey into a blender and whiz for 1-2 minutes, until smooth. Add the milk and whiz again until frothy. Pour into a glass to serve. Prep: 5 mins | Makes: 1 portion | Not suitable for freezing

Wraps are excellent for picnics and school lunchboxes. Kids will enjoy assembling these delicious wraps themselves, being involved in making their own food can encourage fussy eaters to try new flavours such as garlic, courgettes and peppers.

FAB VEGGIE TORTILLA WRAPS

Ingredients • 1 tbsp olive oil • ½ red onion, sliced • 1 courgette, sliced into strips • ½ red pepper. Sliced • 1 clove garlic, crushed • 1 tsp curry powder • 1 tbsp mango chutney • 2 tortilla wraps • 40g Cheddar cheese, grated Method Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the vegetables and fry for 2 minutes, then add the garlic and fry for another 2 minutes. Add the mango chutney and season. Warm the wraps in a microwave. Divide the vegetables between the wraps and sprinkle with the cheese. Roll up and slice in half. Prep: 15 mins | Cook: 5 mins | Makes: 2 wraps

ISSUE 13 – JUNE / JULY 2014

WWW.PINK-PARENTING.COM

CHICKEN SATAY SKEWERS

ADVERTISE IN oUR NEW DYNAMIC, INTERACTIVE READING EXPERIENCE COMING SEPT 2014

This is a must for any peanut butter lover! Peanut butter is a nutrient dense and energy giving food, providing an excellent source of protein, folic acid, calcium and zinc. Zinc plays an important role in building up a strong immune system.

Ingredients • 2 chicken breasts, cut into strips

• 2 garlic cloves, peeled

• 1 tbsp chopped fresh root ginger

• 3 tbsp peanut butter

• 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

• 3 tbsp light soy sauce

• 3 tbsp dark brown sugar

• 1 small chilli, deseeded

• 3 tbsp lime juice

• 1 small shallot

• Salt and pepper

• 1 tbsp groundnut oil

• Sweet chilli sauce, to serve

call us on

Method Put all the ingredients except the groundnut oil, chicken and sweet chilli sauce into a mini food processor, and blend until smooth. Transfer to a bowl, add the chicken and marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes, or up to 4 hours – the longer, the better.

+44 (0)843 2895844 or e-mail us at

advertising@pink-parenting.com

Heat the groundnut oil in a frying pan. Remove the chicken from the marinade and fry until it’s cooked through and the surface has caramelized. Alternatively, you can put the chicken on to skewers and barbecue. Serve with a dipping sauce, such as sweet chilli sauce. Prep: 10 mins + 30 mins - 4hrs marinating | Cook: 10 mins | Makes: 2 portions | Not suitable for freezing

WANTED FREELANCE DIGITAL ADVERTISING SALES EXECUTIVE Key Objectives To sell display advertising from your home over or other location within one (or more, if required) of G&J Media’s titles/projects. Working to volume and revenue targets, the role involves selling direct to clients and to advertising agencies. The role-handler is expected to working within the framework of targets and publishing deadlines, actively source new revenue streams, and positively represent both G&J Media and it’s corresponding commercial brands at all times to build strong relationships. We are always looking for enthusiastic people to join us. If you feel that you can add to our success and want to be appreciated for your effort, send a CV and a brief overview of what you believe you can add to info@gandjmedia.com

www.GandJmedia.com WWW.PINK-PARENTING.COM

ANNABEL ALFRESCO

ANNABEL’S APPLE & ALMOND CAKE

There’s always a good excuse to bake a cake, so Annabel’s yummy and irresistible Apple and Almond cake is a great way to introduce new flavours into your little one’s diet! And don’t forget to get the children involved too – they will love weighing out the ingredients, pouring, whisking, mixing and of course the eating!

a separate bowl and toss with more lemon juice, then sprinkle over 1 tablespoon of the sugar, toss to coat and set aside for 10 minutes.

Ingredients

Beat in the yolks, then add the almonds, almond extract and baking powder, working the mixture as little as possible.

Preheat the oven to 150°C/300°F/Gas 2. Grease a 20 cm (8 in) springform cake tin. In a large bowl, cream the butter and remaining sugar, until light and fluffy.

• 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and quartered • 2 squeezes of lemon juice

In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until they form stiff peaks, then fold into the cake mixture. Add any juice from the thickly sliced apples, then pat dry with kitchen paper and gently fold into the mixture.

• 175g (6oz) golden caster sugar • 175g (6oz) unsalted butter • 3 medium eggs, separated • 175g (6oz) ground almonds

Transfer to the prepared tin and smooth over the surface. Drain away any juice from the finely sliced apples and arrange on top of the cake.

• ½ tsp almond extract • 1 tsp baking powder, sifted

Bake for 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Run a knife around the tin to loosen the cake, then leave to cool in the tin for several hours

• icing sugar, for dusting Method Slice 2 of the apple quarters very thinly, put in a bowl and toss with a squeeze of lemon juice. Slice the remaining apple more thickly, put in

ISSUE 13 – JUNE / JULY 2014

Prep: 30 mins | Cook: 80-90 mins | Makes: 6 - 8 portions | Not suitable for freezing

WWW.PINK-PARENTING.COM

Village Kids specialise in Designer Babies, Children and Junior/young Teenager Childrenswear and Shoes. We have choice of Smart occasion wear from Suits, Jackets, Trousers, Shirts & Ties for Boys or Girls Dresses and skirts for that Special Occasion. New styles arriving daily from brands: Armani, Boss Kidswear, Dior, Dolce and Gabbana, Energie, Hackett, Juicy Couture, Miss Sixty, Ralph Lauren, and many more.

Visit www.villagekids.co.uk for more information or call 01322 528836

TheFertilityCenterLV.com or call +001.702.254.1777

JESSIEANDJAMES.CO.UK

WORDS_ JUSTIN STATHERS

For more than fifty years, BabyBjörn has been innovating new ways for parents and new-borns to play, relax, and get around. To celebrate the release of their revolutionary new baby carrier, we talk to head of communications, Annika Sander-Lofmark who shares with us what makes BabyBjörn’s products a must have for every parent.

abyBjörn’s mission is, and always has been, to make life simpler and more enjoyable for families with young children BabyBjörn has always been about using innovative and creative designs with cutting edge technology for babies, toddlers and the involvement of both the parents. Back in 1961 in Stockholm, Sweden, recently married Björn Jakobson and his wife Lillemor had just returned from the USA, inspired and excited by an amazing new invention that was literally rocking the world of parenting: the bouncing chair. Now, in the 21st century, baby bouncers are commonplace, essential even, but in the ‘60s, they were a pioneering development in childcare, helping to promote

healthy development in infants, and at the same time giving parent’s tired arms a rest. Naturally, Björn wanted to give the new chairs the popularity they deserved in Europe, and set up a company to market them. However, like all good ideas, it took a while to catch on, so the Jakobsons tried a few unconventional tactics to boost their sales... including ‘increasing demand’ by sending Björn’s mother to buy up the local department store’s stock! Sneaky, you might think, but it worked, and many stores that had rejected the chairs at first began to take notice. Soon, word-of-mouth had parents snapping up the new invention. It wasn’t long before the rest of Scandinavia heard about them too, and from there, the rest of Europe.

The company grew steadily through the ‘60s, broadening its range and exporting it’s products across the world, but the real turning point came in 1974, with the invention of the Hjartenara, the charmingly named ‘Close to the Heart’. Björn had been working along side paediatricians, who were actually urging him to develop a quality baby carrier, as parents were becoming a lot more involved with the upbringing of their children. Created by Björn and given its stylish design by Lillemor, the ‘Close to the Heart’ drew on the emerging scientific ideas that staying close to its parents chest is good for a baby’s health and wellbeing. Björn enlisted the help of a team of medical experts during the design process, ensuring that his new product would guarantee only the best for its precious passengers. The baby carrier, simply known as the Björn, was designed specifically to support the baby as comfortably as possible, while spreading its weight and reducing the burden on the parent too. It provided freedom of movement for the baby’s arms and legs, aiding in the development of muscle and motor control, and was easy to put on and take off. »

Behind the brand...

WWW.PINK-PARENTING.COM

JUNE / JULY 2014 – ISSUE 13

BEHIND THE BRAND

» In short, it was a technical masterpiece, medically approved and a must-have for all new parents. BabyBjörn became synonymous with durability, practicality, comfort and style. Since then, the design of the baby carriers has been continually improved, modified and adapted to the ever changing demands and needs of parents and their children. The role of parents, and especially fathers, have changed drastically in recent years you never used to see many dads carrying babies around years ago. Now, when you see people in the street, it’s usually the father carrying the baby on his shoulders or in a Björn. Gender roles were less fluid back in the ‘70s, when fathers would tend to be out working with relatively little contact with their children, while many mothers would be stay at home and bring up the family single handed. Nowadays, we are realising how important it is for both parents to spend as much time with their baby, even as our lifestyles get busier and more varied. In Sweden even more than the UK, society is beginning to recognise that caring for new-borns isn’t solely for mothers in heterosexual relationships, in Sweden, the

ISSUE 13 – JUNE / JULY 2014

Björn and Lillemor Jakobson and two of their four children, 1965.

THE BJÖRN WAS A TECHNICAL MASTERPIECE, MEDICALLY APPROVED AND A MUST-HAVE FOR ALL NEW PARENTS. BABYBJÖRN BECAME SYNONYMOUS WITH DURABILITY PRACTICALITY, COMFORT AND STYLE. paternity leave is actually 450 days for each child. The parent is paid 80% of their salary, and the time can be divided between both parents. What’s more, each parent must look after the baby for a two-month period while the other parent works, which really is a great opportunity for new dads to stay at home and really get involved. This acts to encourage fathers to take a hands-on, involved role in bringing up their kids, and erodes the restrictive tradition of the woman as the homemaker and the man as the breadwinner. It also expands the market for baby products, and puts more money in the system to develop better, more advanced products. Dads are much more involved now in the buying process. Everything is much more

tech-based – there is definitely development in that area – all dads love gadgets. The growing acceptance of LGBT families also challenges old-fashioned ideas about parenthood. The need for a distinction between the roles of each parent is being increasingly questioned. This brings up many exciting opportunities for BabyBjörn, which has always aimed to meet and surpass its customers’ needs, “no matter what the family setup”. Working out the needs of a group so diverse and rapidly evolving as parents takes a lot of dedicated time and research. BabyBjörn products are meticulously tested for safety in their design and the materials from which they’re made, and the company is “very picky” when it comes to choosing suppliers.

WWW.PINK-PARENTING.COM

The BabyBjörn website proudly lists the many institutes it works with to ensure premium safety, and highlights the fact that all the textiles used are proven to be 100% hypoallergenic, even to the point that 95% of the cotton used is organicallyfarmed. BabyBjörn continues Björn policy of employing experts such as; paediatricians, child psychologists and orthopaedics specialists for insights into giving baby’s delicate body all the support it needs. This includes keeping the baby’s hips and neck in comfortable and healthy alignment, and making sure that all instruction manuals are clear and easy to interpret. As with any baby product, safety is, of course, paramount. But vast amounts of time and energy go into functionality, too. BabyBjörn’s development team constantly test hundreds of different prototypes using some two hundred families. They go to homes and spend the whole day with different families, just to scoop up their needs. They go grocery shopping with them; they see how they put their babies to sleep. They check out what their bedroom is like, and the house layout, all to help find the ideas of how to cater to parents’ lifestyles. And it shows! Every product BabyBjörn releases is more versatile and more intuitive. As they grow, it’s important that young children can observe and interact with their surroundings, the Björn carrier acknowledges the fact that parents are carrying children to an older age than ever before, you can use it from newborn: you can bond with your baby, and they’re safe and snuggled against you. When the baby grows, they can face inward if they want to, or they can face outward and discover the world with you. When they become a toddler they can walk, but if you go a long way it can be too tiring for their little legs, so you can switch to carrying them on your back. It’s this passion for pushing the boundaries that inspired the Jakobsons to work so hard to sell those first few bouncing chairs to the dismissive European market. The innovating spirit that led them to revolutionise the world of baby carriers, making Bjorn a household name, lives on in the talented team of designers and scientists. And as the world of parenthood becomes more inclusive, enlightened and diverse, BabyBjörn plans to be at the forefront, ready to carry your baby into the future.

PINK PARENTING WILL SOON BE AVAILABLE ON ALL DEVICES! ANYWHERE! ANY TIME! COMING SEPT 2014!

For more information on BabyBjörn products, stockists and where to buy information and the latest company news please visit www.babybjorn.co.uk or twitter.com//babybjornuk

WWW.PINK-PARENTING.COM

JUNE / JULY 2014 – ISSUE 13

LEGAL LOWDOWN With the Government making changes to paternity / maternity leave, when planning to start your family, knowing the amount of time that you are able to have off of work after the baby’s birth is a crucial factor for many parents. This article sets out how the new legislation, coming into force in April 2015, could help you to manage your child care commitments.

A RETURN TO WORK

n November 2013, the Government released its consultation on the “Administration of Shared Parental Leave and Pay” commenting that it wanted “working parents to have more flexibility in how they arrange their time off and their work in a way that makes sense for their family”. The summary of the key changes under the proposals mean that a mother would continue to be able to take up to 52 weeks’ maternity leave and receive 39 weeks’ statutory maternity pay (which from April 2014 will be £138.18 per week) (subject to eligibility criteria). However, providing that the mother has taken at least 2 weeks compulsory maternity leave after the birth, parents, including same sex parents, will be able to choose to share the remaining leave between them (“Shared Parental Leave”). Nick Clegg has said that this is necessary to “challenge the oldfashioned assumption that women will always be the parent that stays home”. The new rules will also apply to adoption leave and surrogate parents. In order to share the parental and/or adoption leave and pay, each parent would need to meet the qualifying criteria for leave and pay in his or her own right and the shared leave would have to be taken in a minimum of one-week blocks but could be interspersed with periods of work.

ISSUE 13 – JUNE / JULY 2014

It is also worth noting that currently, woman are entitled, when returning from a period of maternity leave, to return to the same job if they take 26 weeks or less maternity leave. Under the new rules, this right will be preserved for employees (male or female) returning from any period of leave, which would include maternity, paternity, adoption and shared parental leave that totals 26 weeks or less in total. This is even the case if that leave is taken in discontinuous blocks.

UNCERTAINTY

Some questions still require answering, such as whether an employer will be entitled to refuse a requested leave pattern, if for an example, a request was made to take alternate weeks off work. A further example is whether an employer will be able to require an employee to take leave in a single period. If such right of refusal is not provided, this may create difficulties for smaller employers who may not be able organise effective cover for an absent employee. It is expected that the ACAS will produce a code of practice to help organisations manage the new rights and will also produce a nonstatutory good practice guide with practical examples of managing this in the workplace. However, we also have to look at whether or not these changes will have any practical impact upon the way in which

WWW.PINK-PARENTING.COM

WORDS_ LINZI BULL & JAMIE FELDMAN

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

Key points to note about the rights relating to Shared Parental Leave under the proposed new regulations are:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 parents will treat leave. By way of example, it is common knowledge that very few fathers have taken Additional Paternity Leave following its introduction in April 2011, with the main reason being that they cannot afford to take the time off. With it currently being unclear whether or not a mother who receives an enhanced maternity pay package will be able to “share” that enhanced package with her partner or whether the entitlement will only relate to the statutory amount. In our view, it is unlikely that anything more than the statutory amount will apply given that enhanced packages are usually a reward to employees for their loyalty and it would not seem practicable for an employer to pass on this loyalty to an employee’s partner.

Unless employers chose to pay more, pay for Shared Parental Leave will be at the same rate as statutory maternity pay. Employees will have to give advance notice to their employers of their intention to opt in to Shared Parental Leave and provide a non-binding indication of their expected pattern of leave Employees will be required to give eight weeks’ notice of a Shared Parental Leave period. There will be a limit on the number of notifications for leave that a parent can make. Employees will only be able to give 3 notifications to their employer to take a period of Shared Parental Leave, with the aim being of giving greater certainty for employers. There is a 6-week window after the child’s birth, during which a parent who has said that she plans to share her leave can change her mind and decide to remain on leave herself. Each parent will have 20 Keeping In Touch days (“KIT” days) to use whilst on shared parental leave, in addition to the 10 KIT days that a woman will continue to have whilst on maternity leave, however, the detail of the specific workings of KIT days are yet to be decided.

take up may be low in the short-term, particularly if employers only offer shared parental leave and pay on the statutory amount of £136.78 per week with most couples relying on the income of the higher earning parent during periods of such leave. The overall view is one of a positive move in respect of equality and fairness for parents, however, the new regime will change the landscape and the new proposal may be difficult to administer and manage, particularly for small employers. We will update you in a further article when there is a little more clarity about the detail.

ALTERNATIVES?

From April 2014 The Children and Families Bill will also extend the right to request flexible working to all employees, and removes the current statutory procedure for considering requests. Instead, employers will have a duty to consider all requests in a reasonable manner. Practically, this means that both parents could apply for flexible working from each of their employers which may prove to be a better valued right than that of the new reforms for Shared Parental Leave.

WHEN WILL THE CHANGES COME IN?

Although it isn’t confirmed as to when exactly the new regulations will come into force, it is expected that they will be implemented for babies born or adopted from April 2015. The proposals are likely to generate quite complex legislation and plenty of legal commentary as to how they will apply. It is likely that much confusion will be created for employees and employers in the early stages and this will hopefully be cleared up when the Regulations have been drafted. From a practical perspective it is expected that

WWW.PINK-PARENTING.COM

It will be possible for couples to take Shared Parental Leave at the same time provided that the total leave does not exceed the amount that is jointly available to them, or to take alternate periods of leave.

For any further detail on this, please contact Linzi Bull, Partner – Family Law (Linzi.bull@harbottle.com) or Jamie Feldman, Associate – Employment Law ( jamie.feldman@harbottle.com)

JUNE / JULY 2014 – ISSUE 13

EXPERT VIEWS

ASK AN AT QUEPSATREINOTING.com

PINK-

Dr. Gad Lavy, is an internationally acclaimed reproductive physician, speaker, author, and founder of New England Fertility, recognised for building families through gestational surrogacy and egg donation. He has previously been an assistant professor in the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology at Yale University School of Medicine and served as the director of the Yale program for assisted reproduction.

The first step is an initial consultation with a reproductive endocrinologist and a egg donor/surrogacy team. At this meeting medical records will be reviewed and a discussion of the process will take place. Typically a patient care coordinator will be assigned to assist you in the navigation of each step. In addition a financial counsellor will meet with you to review the fees associated with the process and discuss insurance and financing options.

EGG DONOR SELECTION:

The next step is the egg donor selection. You will be asked to list the important characteristics you are seeking in an egg donor. A database will be available for access where you can view profiles and pictures of egg donors, and your care coordinator should be able to assist you in finding an egg donor who meets the characteristics you are seeking.

very frequent question we are often asked is what the process is for a gay male couple when building their family through third party reproduction. Here, Dr. Lavy explains in easy to follow stages what the procedure includes and lets you know what you should expect to happen.

ISSUE 13 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; JUNE / JULY 2014

THE INITIAL CONSULTATION:

WWW.PINK-PARENTING.COM

3 4 5

FINDING YOUR GESTATIONAL CARRIER:

Next is the gestational carrier. You will be given a list of surrogacy agencies that specialize in finding women who are willing to serve as surrogates. These agencies perform background checks on all prospective candidates. The clinic will then complete the medical and psychological evaluation of your chosen surrogate and prepare the carrier for her cycle.

MEDICAL SCREENING: Both male partners will be required by the FDA to undergo screening for infectious diseases. In addition sperm is collected, tested and stored in the clinic’s cry bank to be used for fertilization of the eggs.

FINDING ‘SURROGATE FRIENDLY’ STATES:

US GESTATIONAL SURROGACY LAWS VARY. SURROGATES FOR GAY COUPLES ARE CHOSEN FROM “SURROGATE FRIENDLY” STATES THAT ALLOW THE NAMES OF THE INTENDED PARENTS OF THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE.

FRESH OR FROZEN?:

In the final step, you will have the choice to use fresh or frozen eggs. If frozen are chosen, they will be thawed and fertilized with the sperm of one or both partners. Three to five days after fertilization, the embryos will be transferred to the carrier. Once pregnancy is confirmed the carrier is monitored for 6- 8 weeks and then will be passed over to her own obstetrician.

In the US gestational surrogacy laws vary from state to state. Surrogates for gay couples are chosen from “surrogate pink parenting feb.indd 1 friendly” states that allow the names of the intended pink parenting feb.indd 1 parents of the birth certificate. A contract will be drawn w w ww w. w. cu cs uts atr a d ra dn ad nc d rcu rm um b lb e. l e. c o. c o. uk u k complimentary international Skype consult with Dr. Lavy, please up between carrier and the intended covering all issues For aProgram * Free delivery to UK and Irela to speak with Executive Director a free con wthe w w w w. w. cu cour s uparents, ts at r a d ra dn ad nc d rcu rm um b lb e. l e. c o. c o. ufor k u k send an email to info@nefertility.com. To learn more about gestational related to the treatments and the pregnancy. An account will kept * Free delivery toa UK and Irela to with our Executive Program Director for free con or speak wwwL .simpledonations.com Call us toll-free at 1-866-41-SU OV Lcarrier’s OV E D ED AN A D ND C H CH E R E I R SIH SH ESevenoaks, D ED Richmond, Salisbury, St Albans surrogacy please visit www.nefertility.com with anwww attorney to cover the cost, which can be insured. or .simpledonations.com Call us toll-free at 1-866-41-SU For more information please visit us at www .simplesurroga L OV L OV E D E AE N A D N D C H CH E R E I R S IH S H ESevenoaks, D EE D Richmond, Salisbury, StKnutsfo Albans C R C E R A E T AD E T A RO RO O O M M T O T O B E B Glasgow, Guildford, Hale, Harpenden, Harrogate, Kingston,

For more information please visit us at www.simplesurroga

C R CE R E T AE T E A A RO RO OO MM T O TO B E BE Glasgow, Guildford, Hale, Harpenden, Harrogate, Kingston, Knutsfo Bath, Bishop’ sA Stortford, Brighton, Bristol, Bury St Edmunds, Card We look forward to making your parenting d Bath, Bishop’ s Stortford, Brighton, Bristol, Bury St Edmunds, Card London (Battersea, Blackheath, Chelsea Green, Chiswick, Crouch En

We look forward to making your parenting d in the United the more. best option for creati Or visit one of Visit our web States site to is learn See how Simpl www.jojomamanbebe Visit our web site to learn more. See how Simpl

in the (Battersea, United States is Chelsea the best option for creati London Blackheath, Green, Chiswick, Crouch Or visit one En of

Leaving our mark for over 20 years.

www.jojomamanbebe have helped many International Gay couples co have helped many International Gay couples co l over 32 babies already expected 2011 l for for all our news and views read our blog over 32 babies already expected 2011 l for for all our news and views speak with previous clients of our program l read our blog speak with previous clients of our program l quality services and personal attention at afford l quality services and personal attention of at afford l expedited matching with our database availa l expedited matching with our database of availa l excellent reputation helping our clients achiev l excellent reputation helping our clients achiev l one of the largest surrogacy and egg donation We love memories, but more we Wel love memories, but the more importantly importantly we one of largest surrogacy and egg donation l Simple Surrogacy should be your surrogacy a love beginnings. We’ve been pioneering B E BE IN IN SP SI PR IR EE D D … … love beginnings. We’ve been pioneering Simple Surrogacy should be your surrogacy a BE BE IN IN SP SI PR IR EE DD … … l

Egg Donation Agency Egg Donation Agency compensate infertility infertility treatment, treatment, sperm sperm and and egg egg compensate

join the adoption revolution your Surrogate! your Surrogate!

donation, and with Don’t pay your Agency more donation, and gestational gestational surrogacy surrogacy with Don’t pay your Agency more same same sex sex couples couples for for over over 20 20 years. years. Under Under At the leadership of England At New New Family Family Social Social we we believe believe in in giving giving theFull leadershipService of Dr. Dr. Gad Gad Lavy, Lavy, New New England to children who need them. Surrogacy andhomes Egg Donation from a r homes to children who need them. Fertility can help you begin your family – Full Service Surrogacy and Egg Donation from a r Fertility can help you begin your family – There is a huge community of LGBT people and There is a huge community of LGBT people and start start your your own own memories. memories. across across the the UK UK forming forming permanent permanent families families by adoption. It’s the most by adoption. It’s the most rewarding rewarding thing thing in in the world. Join us now for advice, Video conference consultations available. the423 world. Join us now for advice, www.jojomamanbebe.co.uk 0871 5656 Video conference consultations available. and to talk to www.jojomamanbebe.co.uk 0871 423 5656 and to talk to others others in in your your area. area. Pink Parenting Sep.indd 1 Quote PPG12 at website checkout when ordering Quote PPG12 at website checkout when ordering Pink Parenting Sep.indd 1

Professional Professional International International Egg Donor Egg Donation Simple Egg Donor Egg Donation Simple Services Services We make your Surrog

We make your Surrog

w ab y2 m om visit nefertility.com or.c call +001o. 203.325.3200 z a ww visit nefertility.com or.c call +001 203.325.3200 ww wm.b .b ab y2 m om o. z a a z o. .c om y2 ab a .b z w o. w .c w om m newfamilysocial.co.uk y2 ab .b w ww newfamilysocial.co.uk

Or visit one of our 39s stores: London (Battersea, Blackheath, Chelsea Green, Chiswick, Crouch End, Dulwich, Or visit one of our 39s stores: London (Battersea, Blackheath, Chelsea Green, Chiswick, Crouch End, Dulwich, Muswell Hill, Putney, Temple Fortune and Notting Hill), Bath, Brighton, Bristol, Bury St Edmunds, Cardiff, Cheltenham, Muswell Hill, Putney, Temple Fortune and Notting Hill), Bath, Brighton, Bristol, Bury St Edmunds, Cardiff, Cheltenham, Cobham, Colchester, Edinburgh, Exeter, Guildford, Hale, Harpenden, Harrogate, Kingston, Knutsford, Leamington Marlow, Morpeth, Newbury, Newport, Oxford, Salisbury, Sev Call us onKnutsford, 0843 2899457 or visit ourSpa, website: Cobham, Colchester, Edinburgh, Exeter, Guildford, Hale, Harpenden,Conveniently Harrogate, Kingston, located just north ofLeamington NYC Call us on 0843 2899457 or and visitWindsor. ourSpa, website:Hale, Ha Marlow, Morpeth, Newbury, Newport, Oxford, Salisbury, Sevenoaks, St Albans, Tunbridge Wells, Winchester Cobham, Colchester, Edinburgh, Exeter, Guildford, Marlow, Morpeth, Newbury, Newport, Sev locatedWells, justOxford, north of NYC andSalisbury, Marlow, Morpeth, Newbury, Newport, Oxford, Salisbury, Sevenoaks, Conveniently St Albans, Tunbridge Winchester Windsor. 1275 Summer Street, Stamford, CT. Muswell Hill, Putney, Edinburgh, Temple Fortune and Notting Hill), Bat Cobham, Colchester, Exeter, Guildford, Hale, Ha 1275 Summer Street, Stamford, CT. Or visit of our 39s stores: London (Battersea, Black Muswell Hill,one Putney, Temple Fortune and Notting Hill), Bat Or visit one of our 39s stores: PPG12 London (Battersea, Black Quote at website

12/09/2011 10:04 See us at the Alternative Parenting Show 2014, Grand Connaught Rooms, London 12/09/2011 10:04 Quote PPG12 at website www.jojomamanbeb VideoSaturday conference consultations available. 20th September 2014 – www.alternativeparenting.co.uk www.jojomamanbeb

Pink Parenting Sep.indd 1 Pink Parenting Sep.indd 1

FERTILITY Video conference consultations available. AND EARLY We make your and FERTILITY AND EARLY We make your Surrogacy Surrogacy and Services PREGNANCY PRIVATE PREGNANCY PRIVATE Services and start your own memories. Egg Donation Simple and affordable! Egg Donor ULTRASOUND Egg Donation Simple and affordable! ULTRASOUND and start your own memories. Egg Donor Fertility can help you beginSCANNING your family – SERVICE

AND FINALLY...

WEDDING BELLS Y

After almost 15 years together, Jeff, our publisher, and Giorgio, our editor, finally tied the knot in front of their closest friends and family. Here, Giorgio chats about their special day.

ou would think that after being together for so long, we would have had time to plan a wedding, but as it turned out, we only gave ourselves 7 weeks. From ordering the tuxedo’s to deciding what cake toppers we should use, we threw ourselves into action and though nerves took over while we said our vows, the day could not have gone better. It was amazing to see all our friends and family gathered together to witness our wedding and we had so much fun. Now, as our life together continues, we look forward to the next chapter, to start a family of our very own.

Neither this publication nor its contents constitute an explicit endorsement by G&J Media of the products or services mentioned in advertising or editorial content. The editorial content in this publication does not necessarily represent policies or recommendations of G&J Media. This publication is not intended to be exhaustive. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, G&J Media shall not have any liability for errors or omissions. Readers who have questions should consult their healthcare providers or other competent sources of information and guidance. © 2014 All copyright G&J Media unless otherwise stated. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited.

ISSUE 13 – JUNE / JULY 2014