We are constantly showcasing incredible gay dad families over on Instagram. Here is a quick roundup of some of our recent features.
Brian and Andrew
Toronto husbands Brian and Andrew recently welcomed a daughter via altruistic surrogacy in Canada. Their daughter joins her 2-year-old brother, making them a family of four!
“For us we had no doubt that we wanted to give Sawyer a sibling. We both have siblings who are our best friends, and we want that for our children.”
The second surrogacy journey was completely different to their first. This time around, the couple could use their previous experience to guide them, and for their surrogate, this was her 5th surrogacy baby! You read that right = 5 beautiful babies!!
Sawyer is loving the role of big brother. “He loves talking to Baby Margot and bringing her toys, hoping she’ll play!”
“Our biggest advice would be to make sure the timing is right for you. Going from 1 to 2 is a huge, amazing, leap, but life will be forever different. We’re still a new family of 4, and exhausted every minute of the day, but wouldn’t change a thing!”
Follow the dads here: @briandud1 + @acmyersmtl
Dorian and Alexander
Costa Rican couple Dorian and Alexander are proud dads to their 7-year-old son through adoption.
The husbands met on a chat page and were married in May 2020.
“It was a decision of both. It was always a wish in our hearts.”
Dorian and Alexander worked with a government agency to build their family and although the beginning was difficult, they’re loving their fatherhood journey.
Follow the dads here: @dorian.8228
Jason and Eric
“It can be daunting and scary but it’s worth every moment!”
Jason and Eric became dads when they adopted their 10-year-old son through foster care.
Jason said that while adoption came with risks – like all paths – it was the most affordable option for their family.
“We love Broadway shows, traveling, and hanging out with other families.”
Thankfully this family of three haven’t experienced any discrimination, and say everyone has been very accepting and friendly.
The dads favorite thing about fatherhood? “The love a child brings to your life!”
Quenton and Dewitt
“We always wanted to have children, and we wanted to change the life of a child for the better!”
Quenton and Dewitt first became a couple in 2015 and were married two years later. They both shared a dream to become dads.
The husbands chose to adopt from foster care.
“If you want to change the lives of multiple children you must also understand you may not be able to adopt that child. We fostered 7 different children before being eligible to adopt.”
After three years of caring and providing a home for multiple children, they finalized the adoption of their two kids in January 2023.
The dads still find the hardest thing about parenting to be the unsolicited advice and opinions, and they still face discrimination and bigotry towards their family.
But the most rewarding part? “Being loved by our children even if we make a mistake.”
Their advice to others? “Stay strong, don’t give up, pray continuously, and talk to people when it becomes frustrating!”
Follow the dads here: @quevelasquez + @dale_velasquez
Julien and Jean-Philip
Julien and Jean-Philip live in Quebec, Canada, and are dads through altruistic surrogacy to their 11-month-old daughter.
“We started looking into adoption, but because of the length and complexity of the project, we decided to have our child through surrogacy, which was obviously most costly but gave us more control on the process.”
The dads love waking up in the morning and “seeing the smile on our daughter’s face!”
“You can be tired and stressed, but you forget everything when you have a child in your arms.”
Becoming dads did put some stress on the couple’s relationship (and we’re sure many dads can relate). “It changed so many things in our life.”
But the dads agree that communication is key. “Talking to each other regularly about our fears, our struggles, helped us make it through.”
Their advice to others? “Do your research. Find the best option for you. All options have pros and cons.”
Follow the dads here: @j_critico
