Becoming a parent and being LGBTQ+

Having children is of course something many people in society will aspire to. It’s a social norm ingrained within us that most people will become parents one day. But that’s not always been the case for people who are LGBTQ+. Society can often assume people within the community will not want children simply because of their sexuality and in turn, those who are LGBTQ+ themselves may veer away from parenthood because of that stereotype. However over the last decade or so that seems to have changed with more LGBTQ+ people becoming parents in a variety of ways.

On the latest ITV Pridecast writer and TV Producer, Dominic Treadwell Collins joins the show to discuss what it’s like to be a gay man and a father. He chats about how he and his husband went down the route of adopting their young son and the challenges and hurdles they faced along the way. Dominic also discusses how perceptions around being a parent and being gay have changed hugely for him, his family and the wider public. 

As well as discussing being a father, Dominic also talks about the work he’s done on some incredible TV shows as well as the storylines he’s written. Currently busy working on the Disney+ hit Rivals, Dominic has an array of titles to his name, including You and Me, A Very English Scandal, and A Very British Scandal. On top of that, he also shares some of the LGBTQ+ storylines he brought to viewers when working on Eastenders including the famous affair between Syed Masood and Christian Clarke. 

Joining Liam to co-host this episode is Lisa Milestone, who is a Senior Casting Producer for ITV and currently works on The Chase on ITV1. Lisa along with her wife went through the process of IUI to have their two boys and she shares her experience of becoming a parent. She talks about how all parents face challenges but LGBTQ+ parents can face particular issues due to the stereotypes over parenting that still exist in society today. 

If you want more information about becoming a parent if you’re LGBTQ+ head over to the NHS website which offers useful advice and information to people in the UK.