peter
“We live in a country with a very forward-thinking and progressive population. We feel that we have the support from the public and the government, but our laws don’t reflect this. Our children were born via surrogacy in the states. Their birth certs list both our names as their parents. For Irish law not to recognize these birth certs is very disappointing. In Irish law, the lady who gave birth to the child is considered their mother even if like in our case she is not genetically related to the child. The worst part for us is that if the surrogate is married then her husband is considered the father. Ireland has come a long way. The results of the marriage equality referendum prove this. However, our lack of legal protections as a same-sex family and our outdated laws are not just shocking but also embarrassing for the country. We have a wonderful bond with Theo and Lily’s surrogate. There aren’t enough words to express our gratitude to her. However, she is not their mother and she doesn’t want to be their mother. We are their parents. They exist in this world because we had the determination and love to make our dream a reality. It is great that we live in a society where same-sex couples can now create their families. Our government now needs to protect these families. All children deserve to be treated equally.”
