becoming babyREADY with Sam Leeson - All About Queer Family Planning & Creation

Having a massage can feel luxurious and frivolous to some people. Other people understand the physically therapeutic benefits. Whether you see a Registered Massage Therapist for relaxation and fun, or for therapeutic reasons to treat existing challenges and concerns there is no debate that this treatment can leave some people feeling vulnerable.  Today I have the opportunity to speak with Keeley Shantz, a Registered Massage Therapist from Ajax, Ontario. Keeley addresses the need for care providers to be conscious of their bias and their language when they're working with vulnerable populations. Keeley also talks about the work that they do to educate care providers. You can learn more about Keeley and the work that they do by visiting: https://www.ontariomobilemassage.com and you can find them on Instagram @ontariomobilemassage

All of us know that when you’re creating a Queer family, there are many decisions that need to be made.  Dan Emerson is my guest today and we will talk about the choices he and his husband, Steve, made when navigating their path to start their family.  You will light up because you will hear the smile on Dan‘s face as we talk about their journey to becoming the dads of Andy. You can see more of Dan’s parenthood pathway by checking him out on IG and Threads @danemers

A Divine Future — Stef Vachon’s Journey to Fatherhood✨ Sometimes, you hold onto the dream of becoming a parent… until the years pass and you gently let that dream go. That was true for Stef Vachon and his husband — until one unexpected moment changed everything.After years focused on their careers and relationship, one movie night set a new path in motion. Within 24 hours, they made the life-changing decision to begin their foster-to-adopt journey. ✨More than two years later, they met the child who would become their son — and Stef says he knew instantly that this was meant to be.In this episode of becoming babyREADY, Stef shares the emotional, inspiring story of how he and his husband created their family, the moment he first laid eyes on his son, and what it means to trust the timing of your life. 💙👉 You can also find Stef sharing powerful Queer stories on his own podcast, @togethermovingforward 🎙️

Meet Jameel—a dad, podcaster, author, and all-around powerhouse. He and his husband Nicholas have been together for 22 years, and eight years ago, they began their foster-to-adopt journey, welcoming their now 12-year-old son into their lives.In our chat, Jameel opens up about the raw vulnerability of navigating the foster care system in Arizona, and what it really meant to open their hearts and home.But that’s not all—Jameel also hosts the podcast Fathernetics, where he dives into modern Queer fatherhood, and he's written two books: one is a moving memoir of their family-building experience, and the other is a sci-fi adventure with a Queer protagonist at its heart.Follow him on Instagram @fathernetics and learn more about his work at jameelmayers.com

✨ Chances are Rowan Jette Knox + Dani Gaede have already touched your Queer life — through their words, their work, or their fierce advocacy.I had the honour of sitting down with them to talk life, love, family, and the BIG dreams they’re cooking up next.Between the two of them, they’ve written powerful books, driven DEI initiatives, slayed in marketing, and fought for equity across so many spaces. And now? They’re onto something brand new: a cozy, community-rooted café + wine bar in the heart of Toronto’s Queer Village.📍 Church + Wellesley📲 Follow their journey: @understorytoronto🌐 Check out their site: understorycafe.comHonestly… is there anything these two can’t do? 💫

✨ What happens when you’re both an adoptee and an adoptive parent?You gain a powerful perspective — one that can challenge, reshape, and rewrite the narratives we’ve all been told about adoption.Today I’m sitting down with Allison Olsen, who never set out to become an author. But when she couldn’t find children’s books that told the adoption story with honesty, compassion, and balance… she wrote them herself. 📚💡Now, Allison is on a mission to shift the way adoption is talked about — for adoptive parents, adoptees, and birth parents alike. Her work is opening hearts, changing conversations, and giving kids (and adults) words that truly honour their experiences.✨ Learn more about Allison’s inspiring journey:📲 Follow her on IG: @kidsbooksbyallisonolson🌐 Visit: ouradoptionbooks.com

✨ Life has a way of sparking the most wonderful things. ✨Take Kirsty Loehr for example 👇A chance to study creative writing abroad inspired her first book, A Short History of Queer Women — a brilliant tribute to the Queer women who came before us and walk alongside us today. 🌈📚Then, choosing to grow her family with her (now) ex-wife opened up even more questions: How exactly do Queer women navigate parenting?That journey gave birth (pun intended 😉) to her newest book: A Short History of Queer Parenting, out October 2, 2025 with One World Publications. 👶🏻✨Today, we’re diving into Kirsty’s story of becoming a mother — and how she weaves Queer history + lived experience into powerful, true tales that remind us: our families have always been here. 💜📖 Follow Kirsty on IG: @kirsty_loehr🌍 Explore her work via One World Publications: https://oneworld-publications.com/work/a-short-history-of-queer-women/What Queer parenting stories do you wish were told more often? Drop them below ⬇️

✨ The journey to parenthood is rarely simple — and for single/solo parents by choice, it’s often a whole other level of complex. While there are beautiful overlaps with Queer family-building, solo parenting comes with its own unique set of emotional, financial, and logistical challenges. 🍼💸💪Carrying, birthing, and raising a child on your own? That’s no small feat. And then come the big questions from our kids: “Where did I come from?” “Why is our family different?” 😅That’s why I’m thrilled to introduce you to Sharon Leya, the brilliant mind behind the “My Donor Story” book series. 📚💖These beautifully written and illustrated books help parents explain solo and Queer family creation in ways that are gentle, honest, and kid-friendly. ✨Want to learn more? Give Sharon a follow over at @mydonorstory and check out this incredible resource for families like ours. 🌈👶🏽🌟https://www.sharonleya.com

✨ Today I’m so excited to share the brilliance of editor Gail Schwarz and two of her powerful contributors, Lalita and Katherine — just a few of the many voices behind the groundbreaking new book, “Boyhood Reimagined.” 📖💫Co-edited by Gail and Ada Malone, this collection brings together stories and reflections from Queer parents — cis, trans, and non-binary mothers — who are raising sons in a world that doesn’t always reflect our families back to us. 🌈👩🏽‍🤝‍👩🏾Together, we dive into what it means to parent boys as queer-identifying women: the beauty, the complexity, the resistance, and the reimagining. 💭💖This conversation is bold, honest, and filled with wisdom for anyone thinking about gender, parenting, and what it means to raise thoughtful, compassionate humans.Want to learn more? Keep an eye out for “Boyhood Reimagined” and follow the journey of this incredible collective. 🌟Visit: https://www.gailmarleneschwartzauthor.com

🌍✈️ If you love Queer joy, globe-trotting adventures, and heartwarming family vibes — you need to follow @loveislovearoundtheworld 💕✨Cristina & Adriana have known each other for over 20 years (most of that time as a couple!), but it’s only been in the past decade that they’ve finally shared the same city, the same home — and now, the same passport stamps. 🌎💌These two fierce mamas are now travelling the world with their beautiful baby girl, proving that Queer family love truly knows no borders. 🧳👩‍👩‍👧💫Today we chat about the ups and downs of building their family, the hurdles they’ve faced, and how they’re soaking up every magical moment together. 🥹💖Hit that follow on @loveislovearoundtheworld for major inspo, adorable family content, and your daily dose of love without limits. 🌈

Becoming a gay parent can feel incredibly isolating.How do you find other gay dads?Where’s the sense of community?And why does it often feel like nothing in the parenting world was designed with you in mind?That’s where David Morgenstern comes in. A gay dad to a 4-year-old with a background in marketing, David set out to build something more than just a brand—he built a movement.Gaddies is fun, stylish, and community-driven. What started as a line of apparel meant to make a statement has grown into a hub of connection and resources for gay dads everywhere. From t-shirts to tote bags to tools for navigating parenthood, Gaddies is helping dads feel seen, supported, and proud.Check it out at heygaddies.com and follow along on Instagram @heygaddies.

Midwifery care looks vastly different depending on where you are in the world—and even from one region to another. Today, I’m thrilled to introduce you to Ness Dixon, a passionate and multi-talented professional who, among many roles, serves as a Registered Midwife in Ontario, Canada. In our conversation, Ness shares insights into the traditional roots of midwifery and how the profession has evolved over the past few decades to meet the changing needs of birthing people and their families.To learn more about midwives in Ontario visit: @ontariomidwives and for other areas of Canada, check out @canadianmidwives

When you ask someone on a first date, “Do you want kids?”—you likely have a clear vision of the future you're hoping to build.For Kim and Aldo, that vision took a full decade, countless challenges, and unwavering commitment to bring to life. After exploring every possible path to parenthood, they’re now living the dream they once imagined.In today’s episode, I speak with them from their home in the Netherlands about their incredible journey to family—navigating bureaucracy, overcoming obstacles, and, just days before our conversation, finally becoming the legal parents of their 23-month-old daughter.You can follow their family story on Instagram @2gaydadsinnl and on TikTok as Two Gay Dads in NL.

Growing up during the early days of the HIV/AIDS epidemic meant living with a deep, often paralyzing fear. So much was unknown, and the narrative at the time made it feel like a life sentence—especially for those of us who were Queer. The idea of creating a family, let alone using your own genetic material, felt impossibly out of reach.But oh, how far we've come.Today, I’m deeply honoured to speak with Brian Rosenberg, founder of GWK Academy. Brian is a gay, HIV-positive parent of three who generously shares the story of how he and his husband built their family through adoption and surrogacy. He also opens up about the mission behind GWK Academy—an organization dedicated to supporting Queer people on their path to parenthood.To learn more about the organization he created, follow: @gwk_academy or visit: https://gwkacademy.org and @@gays_with_kids The organization he mentioned re: adoption for older children is found at: https://www.yougottabelieve.org

When you finally pluck up the courage to come out to your parents, you cross your fingers and hope that, for the most part, nothing really changes. You want to feel that love and support. Sometimes you don’t think about the questions and concerns that your own parents may have. Do you give them space for that? Do they give you space to ask your questions and feel your feelings? Angela Briones is my guest on the show today and she talks about her podcast where she tackles this subject and so much more. You can learn more about Angela by visiting her website: and following her on Instagram: @thegaypodcast_foreveryone

This episode airs with a trigger warning.Cassie and Marissa, as a two-uterus household, made a decision familiar to many lesbian couples—they agreed that the eldest, Marissa, would be the first to carry a pregnancy. By her own account, Marissa experienced a relatively smooth and uncomplicated pregnancy. It was the labour, birth, and recovery that proved to be the most difficult and traumatic part of her transition into parenthood. Cassie was left feeling helpless through the process which was deeply distressing.It’s important to say that today, the whole family is thriving and doing beautifully. But getting to this place has required time, healing, and the support of therapy to fully process the intensity of their early experience.Watch this family evolve over time on Instagram: @cassie.maggiore

International love stories have a special way of capturing our hearts, sparking that hopeful question: Can love truly conquer distance?Today, I have the pleasure of speaking with Sarah about the incredible journey she and her wife embarked on—one that spanned continents and oceans. Despite living on opposite sides of the world, they built not only a deeply loving relationship, but also a beautiful, growing family. Their story has taken them across the Atlantic more than once, but for now, they’ve found a home in Germany.To learn more about Sarah and her family, you can follow their journey on Instagram: @sarah.beste_simmler

It felt like it should have been easier, especially since they were both perfectly healthy. Today, I’m excited to introduce you to Michael and Dan, two Melbourne-based IPs (intended parents). Their journey to parenthood took them around the world in search of the perfect egg donor and surrogate — a journey that ultimately helped them build the beautiful family they have today.You can learn more about their beautiful family by following them on Instagram @aussiedadzdream

Over the past 100 episodes, I’ve had the absolute privilege of connecting with some truly remarkable Queer Professionals and Queer Parents. Each conversation has opened my mind, challenged my assumptions, and left me inspired in ways I never could have imagined. Together, we’ve explored the beautiful, messy, courageous, and deeply personal journeys of family creation in our community—and it’s been nothing short of transformative.Saying I’m honoured doesn’t even begin to cover it. These guests have shared their stories with vulnerability and strength, and I am endlessly grateful.And to you—yes, you—thank you for tuning in, sharing, and growing with me. Your presence and support are what keep me going. Here's to the next 100 episodes and all the powerful stories still to come. 💖

When you know deep in your heart that you’re meant to be a parent and carry a child, all you truly need are the ingredients to make it happen — unless, of course, challenges with ovulation arise. Today, I’m excited to introduce you to Amy and Alyson, who set out on their family-building journey, full of hope and curiosity about how their story would unfold.You can learn more about this beautiful family by following them on Instagram @aecud