Moe Ari and Tiffany, hosts of the Be Your Own Love Goals podcast, share their journey as a queer couple. They met in college, became friends, and eventually fell in love. Moe Ari later came out as transgender, and they decided to start a family through reciprocal IVF. They faced challenges with their families' acceptance and had difficult conversations about their donor choice. Despite the obstacles, their families have come around and are now obsessed with their daughter, Nova. The couple emphasizes the importance of being your own “love goals” and creating your own authentic journey of partnership. 🏳️‍🌈Thanks to our sponsors🏳️‍🌈 California Cryobank (QUEERFAM):https://bit.ly/PromoCodeQUEERFAM The Village Well (QUEERFAM): https://www.villagewellparenting.com/ Our Shelves (code QUEERFAM): https://www.ourshelves.com/ 🏳️‍🌈Interested in advertising? Check out our packages here🏳️‍🌈 https://www.thequeerfamilypodcast.com/sponsor-us-2 🏳️‍🌈About The Guest(s)🏳️‍🌈 * Moe Ari and Tiffany are the hosts of the Be Your Own Love Goals podcast. * They met in college and have been together for a decade. * Moe Ari is transgender and went through a gender transition during their relationship. * They used reciprocal IVF to have their daughter, Nova. 🏳️‍🌈Key Takeaways:🏳️‍🌈 * Nova's birth helped solidify Moe Ari's gender transition and their identity as a father. * The couple chose a donor based on shared values and personality traits, rather than physical appearance. * Moe Ari's family was accepting of his coming out & transition, while Tiffany faced more challenges with her family's acceptance. * Becoming parents has brought healing and growth to both Moe Ari and Tiffany. ​ 🏳️‍🌈Quotes:🏳️‍🌈 * "Hearing her call me Daddy for the first time was like, I am a dude. I am a dad." - Moe Ari * "We wanted to feel connected to the donor in a way that transcended the physical." - Moe Ari * "Having Nova was the first time I had the confidence to really allow myself to be seen." - Tiffany 🏳️‍🌈Resources mentioned in the episode🏳️‍🌈 * We Are The Rainbow If you like the episode, make sure to leave us a review and support The Queer Family Podcast on Patreon for as low as $2/month! https://bit.ly/3PPGoNY 🏳️‍🌈We want to hear from you! 🏳️‍🌈 - Call us and leave a voicemail or text: 646-470-1840 - Email: thequeerfamilypodcast@gmail.com IG/Twitter/FB/TikTok/YouTube: @thequeerfamilypodcast - Website: https://www.thequeerfamilypodcast.com/ - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thequeerfamilypodcast/ - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ovariestalk/ - TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thequeerfamilypodcast - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNhon0J_IfFovDUAzS9v2WQ 🏳️‍🌈Order the #ITOCT book Amazon, IndieBound, Audible🏳️‍🌈 https://amzn.to/3F9qRUc 🏳️‍🌈Buy our merch here🏳️‍🌈 https://bit.ly/TQFPmerchandise 🏳️‍🌈Edited by Jerson Barajas. Theme song: Tiffany Topol\ Logo art: Daneen Stevenato🏳️‍🌈 Chapters: [0:00:00] Host Introduction and sponsor mention. [0:03:04] Announcement of being an Anthem Award finalist. [0:05:12] Ally voicemail from Jessi [0:09:15] Moe Ari and Tiffany’s Elevator Pitch. [0:10:32] Early life and coming to term with queerness [0:13:28] Meeting in College and Discovering Attraction [0:21:24] Coming Out to Family [0:28:31] Navigating Gender Transition [0:33:35] Starting a Family and Reciprocal IVF [0:37:16] Mixed Responses and Concerns about Genetics [0:39:05] Difficulties and Reflections During Pregnancy [0:40:12] Choosing a Donor Beyond Skin Color [0:45:11] Promo code for California Cryobank. [0:46:09] Talking to Nova About Her Origin Story [0:49:03] Family Dynamics After Nova's Birth

California Cryobank is the sperm bank you want to use to build your family! Use my code QUEERFAM for a free level 2 subscription to their donor catalog. Once you start baby making, come on my show and tell me all about it!

If you like the episode, make sure to leave us a review and support The Queer Family Podcast on Patreon for as low as $2/month! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thequeerfamilypodcast Website: https://www.thequeerfamilypodcast.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thequeerfamilypodcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ovariestalk/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thequeerfamilypodcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNhon0J_IfFovDUAzS9v2WQ/ Buy our merch here: https://www.teepublic.com/stores/if-these-ovaries-could-talk?ref_id=22438 Interested in advertising? Check out our packages here: https://www.thequeerfamilypodcast.com/sponsor-us-2 We want to hear from you! Email us at thequeerfamilypodcast@gmail.com Order the #ITOCT book Amazon, IndieBound, Audible. Edited by: Jerson Barajas Theme song: Tiffany Topol\ Logo art: Daneen Stevenato. Thanks to Our Shelves (code QUEERFAM) and our Patreon supporters.

Freya Lyon, a queer mom and donor-conceived child, shares her journey of finding her "bio dad" and connecting with her donor-conceived siblings. She discusses her experience growing up with queer moms, her own journey of becoming a parent, and the importance of open communication and honesty in donor-conceived families. Freya emphasizes the significance of answering the questions of donor-conceived children and providing them with the option to connect with their donors or half-siblings. 🏳️‍🌈Thanks to our sponsors🏳️‍🌈 California Cryobank (QUEERFAM):https://bit.ly/PromoCodeQUEERFAM Our Shelves (code QUEERFAM): https://www.ourshelves.com/ 🏳️‍🌈Interested in advertising? Check out our packages here🏳️‍🌈 https://www.thequeerfamilypodcast.com/sponsor-us-2 🏳️‍🌈About The Guest(s)🏳️‍🌈 * Freya Lyon is a queer mom and donor-conceived child. She has two children with her wife using a sperm donor and has recently connected with her biological father. Freya shares her journey of finding her biological father and forming relationships with her donor-conceived siblings. 🏳️‍🌈Key Takeaways:🏳️‍🌈 * Freya had a positive experience growing up as a donor-conceived child and always felt comfortable discussing her origins. * She recently found her biological father and has formed a close relationship with him and her donor-conceived siblings. * Freya's children have multiple half-siblings from the same donor, and they have the option to connect with them in the future. * Open communication and honesty are crucial in donor-conceived families to ensure that children have a clear understanding of their origins and can make informed decisions about connecting with their donors or half-siblings. ​ 🏳️‍🌈Quotes:🏳️‍🌈 * "I've always wondered if I would have inherited something [from my biological father]." - Freya Lyon * "Our family is completed, we're not having anymore. I want to be able to do this for someone." - Freya Lyon * "That level of contact was really all I wanted as a kid. I just wanted the odd question answered. I didn't need that relationship growing up. It's just a bonus now." - Freya Lyon If you like the episode, make sure to leave us a review and support The Queer Family Podcast on Patreon for as low as $2/month! https://bit.ly/3PPGoNY 🏳️‍🌈We want to hear from you! 🏳️‍🌈 - Call us and leave a voicemail or text: 646-470-1840 - Email: thequeerfamilypodcast@gmail.com IG/Twitter/FB/TikTok/YouTube: @thequeerfamilypodcast - Website: https://www.thequeerfamilypodcast.com/ - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thequeerfamilypodcast/ - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ovariestalk/ - TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thequeerfamilypodcast - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNhon0J_IfFovDUAzS9v2WQ 🏳️‍🌈Order the #ITOCT book Amazon, IndieBound, Audible🏳️‍🌈 https://amzn.to/3F9qRUc 🏳️‍🌈Buy our merch here🏳️‍🌈 https://bit.ly/TQFPmerchandise 🏳️‍🌈Edited by Jerson Barajas. Theme song: Tiffany Topol\ Logo art: Daneen Stevenato🏳️‍🌈 Chapters: 0:00:00 Sponsorship message from California Cryobank 0:00:30 Episode Teaser 0:01:42 Introduction to the episode and Freya's background 0:02:59 Freya has 2 children and has connected with her bio dad and half-siblings 0:04:17 Call to action for listeners to contact the podcast 0:05:48 Intro to the interview with Freya 0:06:00 Freya's elevator pitch of her family-building journey, pregnancies, and upbringing with gay moms 0:09:39 Freya's experiences growing up as a donor-conceived child 0:14:10 Freya's journey to find her donor through genealogy sites and connections with family members 0:19:19 Freya discovers her half-sister through a DNA test 0:20:28 Freya reaches out to her biological father via email 0:22:48 Freya's parents were given inaccurate information about the donor 0:26:48 Freya forms a bond with her biological father based on common interests 0:29:39 Freya reflects on traits inherited from genetics and connects with her donor siblings 0:34:28 Freya talks about meeting her donor and refers to him as "biological father" 0:38:09 Jaimie seeks advice from Freya on connecting with her own donor 0:43:30 Freya's work with donor-conceived people and recipient parents 0:44:45 Freya's decision to become an egg donor and the process 0:51:08 Jaimie thanks California Cryobank for sponsoring the podcast 0:51:53 Jaimie asks listeners to consider supporting the podcast on Patreon 0:51:53 Jaimie thanks listeners for tuning in and says goodbye #podcast #gaymoms #samesexparents