Exclusive | Events | Life & Experience
On February 21-23, 2025, the nonprofit Men Having Babies (MHB) is once again teaming with the LGBTQ Institute and additional regional nonprofits to bring to Atlanta its internationally acclaimed Surrogacy Conference & Gay Parenting Expo.
The success of the 2024 conference proved that the Georgia LGBTQ+ community, as well as Black Gay organizations nationwide, are increasingly prioritizing family building and offer a welcoming, resource-rich environment for prospective gay parents.
Offering unparalleled education, financial assistance and advocacy outreach, the nonprofit Men Having Babies (MHB) is a leading voice for equality and equity for gay fathers in the United States and beyond. A planning process embarked by the organization determined that residents of the South, as well as the Black LGBTQ+ community nationwide, do not enjoy the desired level of access to the educational and financial resources it offers.
“Following numerous conversations with MHB members and allies from the South, as well as consultations with Black LGBTQ+ organizations, we determined that a conference in Atlanta would be the most effective way to better reach these underserved communities,” Ron Poole-Dayan, MHB’s Executive Director tells Gaye Magazine.
Part of MHB’s goal in introducing the Atlanta event was to encourage visibility of dads, egg donors and surrogates from within the black community. With a growing, vibrant LGBTQ+ community of about 200,000, Atlanta is already among the most gay-friendly cities in the South and is considered a top destination for LGBTQ+ visitors. The hometown of Martin Luther King Jr., Atlanta is also known as a Black gay destination, with the world’s largest Black Gay Pride celebration.
"We are proud to support MHB's work to expand access to critical resources for Black gay men that empower them to become parents," said Tim'm West, executive director of the LGBTQ Institute.
"The Atlanta Surrogacy Conference & Gay Parenting Expo aligns with our mission to create dynamic experiences that build empathy and inspire folks to safeguard the rights of all people everywhere."
The diverse range of attendees at the 2024 conference proved that many gay men in the area are indeed interested in becoming parents. Attendees shared their experiences, revealing that the conference provided valuable insights into the feasibility of having children through surrogacy, particularly with the support offered by MHB.
“Before I started my research I thought that surrogacy wasn’t an option for us because of the hefty ‘price tag’ that comes with it,” Darryl from Texas told us. “[Previously] I always associated surrogacy with rich people, to be completely transparent about it.”
"Also marketing plays a big part. For the average person the whole idea of men having babies is for the affluent or well-to-do communities," said LeVon, a dad from Atlanta who benefitted from MHB’s Gay Parenting Assistance Program (GPAP), said.
"In addition, particularly in the African American community, there’s a stigma about donating your eggs/sperm and potentially having unknown children all over the place that you don’t know about.”
"The challenge we faced as Black men during our journey was finding a black female donor," LeVon said. "Unfortunately, there is a lack of black female donors available."
Men Having Babies was spun-off in 2012 from a program at New York City’s LGBT Center, and it is mainly known for the series of conferences it offers worldwide. In these three-day events the organization’s staff and board members, the majority of whom are fathers or former surrogates, share a wealth of knowledge with gay men aspiring to become fathers.
Attendees benefit from peer guidance; expert advice; information about financing, grants and resources; inspirational testimonies; and an opportunity to meet dozens of reputable clinics, agencies, law firms and other complementary service providers.
Atlanta’s conference will begin on the afternoon of Friday, February 21, 2025, with a “Surrogacy 101” session that explains the basics of a surrogacy journey to help dispel myths and misconceptions. The conference will continue Saturday and Sunday (February 22-23) with opportunities for attendees to dive deeper into the medical, legal, and financial aspects of surrogacy, including guidance on how to make informed decisions.
Other sessions include specific guidance for single dads-to-be, and shared perspectives of gay dads, surrogates, an egg donor. New this year is a workshop on “Semi-Independent Surrogacy Journeys,” addressing how to take advantage of more “modular” services supplemented with a “DIY strategy” to save on costs.
Proceeds from the conference’s sponsorship fees benefit MHB’s Gay Parenting Assistance Program (GPAP), which annually provides prospective parents with over a million dollars’ worth of cash grants, discounts, and free services from over 140 leading service providers.
For more information and tickets: menhavingbabies.org/atlanta.