Rebecca Madsen from Gay Parents Australia

Rebecca Madsen from Gay Parents Australia

Earlier this week I had the pleasure of meeting Rebecca Madsen, the founder of Gay Parents Australia.

Necessity, they say, is the mother of invention. As a new mum, Rebecca quickly discovered that there was a lack of support online for gay and lesbian parents, so decided to fix the problem- by creating her own website, as this story from the ABC makes plain.

Rebecca was keen on making sure that there are resources available for gay and lesbian parents, who according to the latest research, are doing a good job in caring for kids.

Good on her! We don’t have to earn a degree or even finish high school to become parents. For LGBTI newbie parents there has been a lack of support. After all it was only in 2012 and 2013 that in my home State of Queensland, for example, the Australian Christian Lobby ran the line, opposing the recognition of lesbian mums, and opposing surrogacy for gay, lesbian, and single intended parents- because, said the ACL every child deserved a mother and a father.

Is it any wonder that there has been a lack of support?

Good On Rebecca. I wish her and her website the best of luck. The more support that can help parents of kids, so that those kids are nurtured, and loved, and don’t fall between the cracks, the better.

Request an Appointment
Fill in the form below to find out if you have a claim.
Request an Appointment - Stephen Page
Things to Read, Watch & Listen

How I Became a Fertility and Surrogacy Lawyer

A legal career that began in mainstream family law evolved into one of Australia’s most specialist practices in fertility, surrogacy and assisted reproductive technology. Over almost four decades, Stephen Page has handled thousands of complex matters, influenced law reform, advised clinics, taught ethics and regulation, and championed the human rights of everyone affected by assisted… Read More »How I Became a Fertility and Surrogacy Lawyer

Lessons From My Own Surrogacy Journey

Stephen Page’s story is a frank, sometimes brutal, ultimately hopeful account of what it means to pursue parenthood when the path is anything but straightforward. From a childhood conviction to be a dad, to confronting infertility, miscarriage, an ectopic pregnancy and the legal uncertainty around parentage, his journey illustrates the medical, emotional and legal hurdles… Read More »Lessons From My Own Surrogacy Journey

Australian Surrogacy Law: Setting the Record Straight on Misleading Claims

Response to op-ed in The Australian by Stephen Page On Wednesday, a UK writer and anti-surrogacy advocate wrote an op-ed in The Australian. I first became aware of the article when my colleague Sarah Jefford OAM told me. For some reason, the author conflated transmen giving birth with surrogacy ( I am still missing the… Read More »Australian Surrogacy Law: Setting the Record Straight on Misleading Claims

Family Law Section Law Council of Australia Award
Member of Queensland law society
Family law Practitioners Association
International Academy of Family Lawyers - IAFL
Mediator Standards Board