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.

Things to Read, Watch & Listen

When Not If the Intended Parents Become Parents

The road to parenthood through surrogacy may not always be smooth, but with the right approach, it’s not a matter of if, but when you’ll welcome your child.

Surrogates & Donors are Extraordinary People

Surrogates and donors make parenthood possible for so many who can’t conceive on their own—whether it’s heterosexual couples, LGBTQ+ parents, single parents, or those with medical conditions. Their generosity is nothing short of life-changing.

Anonymity is Dead in Surrogacy: The Rise of Technology and Its Impact on Donor Privacy

In this video, Stephen dives into one of the 10 lessons he’s learned since his first surrogacy case in 1988: the death of anonymity in surrogacy and donor conception.

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