Surrogacy, Parentage Orders, and the Legal Side of Queer Family Building
From The Queer Family Podcast – LGBTQ Families & Queer Parenting Stories by Jaimie Kelton – Queer Parenting & LGBTQ Families'.
March 9, 2026 · 52 min · Season 21 · Episode 5
About this episode
Jaimie Kelton interviews attorney Alexander Paykin about the complexities of surrogacy and legal considerations for queer families.
What does it really take to build a family through surrogacy as a same sex couple? In this episode, Jaimie sits down with attorney and dad Alexander Paykin to talk about his family’s surrogacy journey, the many unexpected twists along the way, and the legal realities queer parents need to understand before getting started. Alexander shares how he and his husband chose an egg donor, what surprised them most about the surrogacy process, and why so much of queer family building comes down to preparation, paperwork, and knowing the laws in the right states at the right time. They also get into parentage orders, second-parent adoption, and just how complicated the legal side of having a baby the queer way can be. It’s a conversation full of practical insight, real-life experience, and a powerful reminder that LGBTQ+ parents are some of the most intentional parents out there. 🏳️🌈 Key Takeaways Surrogacy is often far more complicated than intended parents expect. The process is not always linear. Many parts need to happen in parallel. Choosing an egg donor can feel overwhelming, but medical history matters most. A strong surrogate match can make all the difference. Parentage orders…
People in this episode
Host: Jaimie Kelton
Guest: Alexander Paykin
Topics covered
- surrogacy
- queer family building
- legal issues
- parentage orders
- egg donor selection
- LGBTQ+ parenting
Keywords
- surrogacy
- queer families
- parentage orders
- egg donor
- LGBTQ+ parenting
- legal realities
- surrogate match
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