A *hybrid* panel event with IP Out
& the IP Non-traditional Family Network
Thursday 31 March 2022
7 – 8 pm
(+ networking)
IP Out, in collaboration with the IP Non-traditional Family Network, were delighted to hold their second hybrid event in which we heard from a panel of three speakers discussing non-traditional families, the routes to parenthood for LGBTQ+ people and related legal challenges, as well as some personal experiences.
The panel discussion started at 7 pm and lasted about an hour, including a Q&A session with the in-person and virtual audiences.
For those attending in-person, there was an opportunity to stay for some networking drinks after the panel discussion finished.
We are grateful to Carpmaels & Ransford, who kindly hosted this event for us at their offices at 1 Southampton Row, London WC1B 5HA and online via Zoom.
Mermaids
At the point of registering for the event, there was an opportunity to make a donation to our chosen charity, Mermaids. Mermaids supports transgender, non-binary, and gender-diverse children and young people until their 20th birthday, as well as their families and professionals involved in their care. You may also donate directly here, if you prefer. All donations would be gratefully received.
Meet our panel
Professor Susan Golombok
Susan is Professor Emerita of Family Research and former Director of the Centre for Family Research at the University of Cambridge. Her research examines the impact of new family forms on parenting and child development, specifically lesbian mother families, gay father families, single mothers by choice and families created by assisted reproductive technologies including in vitro fertilisation (IVF), donor insemination, egg donation and surrogacy. Her research has not only challenged commonly held assumptions about these families but also contested widely-held theories of child development by demonstrating that structural aspects of the family, such as the number, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, and genetic relatedness of parents, is less important for children’s psychological wellbeing than the quality of family relationships.
Susan has recently released her book, “We Are Family: what really matters for parents and children” in paperback; it questions whether family structure has an impact on parenting and child development.
Natalie Gamble
Natalie is the co-founder of the UK’s first specialist fertility law firm NGA Law and the leading non-profit surrogacy agency Brilliant Beginnings. Her team have been responsible for many of the leading cases which have shaped UK surrogacy law, and are prominent campaigners for progressive reform, winning numerous changes to the law to the benefit of modern families and LGBTQ+ parents. Natalie has been named in the Independent on Sunday‘s Pink List and as the Times Lawyer of the Week, and nominated for Stonewall’s Hero of the Year Award. Natalie is often interviewed by the BBC and in the national press, and is a regular voice on the BBC Radio 4 Today Programme and Woman’s Hour.
Triona Desmond
Triona is a Senior Trade Mark Attorney at Pinsent Masons and a committee member of our very own IP Out Network. Triona has a young son, whom she co-parents with her wife and a gay male couple, and has personal experience of facing the complexities and difficulties of the legal system in terms of recognising legal parenthood for her son. Triona is a Stonewall Education Role Model and has spoken at conferences and events regarding LGBT+ issues.
Moderator
Conor Wilman (Dehns)
Follow-up resources
As a follow-up to the event, relevant information can be found at the following links:
- We Are Family – a copy of Professor Susan Golombok’s book, which includes her seminal research on gay, lesbian and trans parents and co-parenting relationships, and in particular their impact on the lives of children in these families.
- NGA Law – the UK’s first fertility law firm, NGA Law specialises in assisted reproduction, surrogacy and LGBT+ / non-traditional family law.
- Brilliant Beginnings – a non-profit surrogacy agency, Brilliant Beginnings can help you find or become a surrogate.
Cost
This event was free. So are all our resources. We think it’s important to keep IP Inclusive on the right side of the paywall.
That said, we do need money to keep the show on the road, so if you enjoyed the event please consider contributing to our 2021-22 fundraising campaign. For more information – including about corporate donations – visit our fundraising page.