events

Since 2005 our monthly workshops and the annual NY Men Having Babies seminar provided hundreds of gay men a comprehensive overview of surrogacy by panels of experts and peers. Starting in 2012, we have been offering larger conferences in cooperation with LGBT parenting associations in Barcelona, Paris, Tel Aviv, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Brussels, Miami / Fort Lauderdale, Austin and Dallas. Proceeds for conference sponsorship fees benefit our Gay Parenting Assistance Program (GPAP).

Our conferences provide unique and critical preparation for the surrogacy journey in general, and are particularly relevant for those who are budget conscious. Furthermore, if you are interested in taking advantage of Stage II benefits of our assistance program, you should also note that attendance in one of MHB’s annual conferences is a precondition for Stage II evaluation.

Our conferences offer program tracks for prospective parents at different stages of the surrogacy process:

• Novices will benefit from the entire two days of programs - including peer advice on planning their parenting journey and choosing providers, presented by several of our experienced board members and staff.
• If you have already attended past conferences and you are now actively looking for providers, you don't want to miss the Gay Parenting Expo, the 24 "meet the provider” breakout sessions, and the on-site private consultations offered by select clinics and agencies.
• If you are already in-process, you are invited to join us on Sunday afternoon for socializing and in-depth specialty sessions on budgeting, insurance, and the medical, psychological and ethical aspects of surrogacy.
• Even if you are parents already, community activists, or professionals in a related field, you would appreciate the socializing opportunities and special programs about "life after birth," and, in some locations, a panel of teenagers born via surrogacy talking about their experiences as kids of gay dads.

MHB is a nonprofit organization, and our board and staff are comprised of gay dads and surrogates. Ask around - our conferences are the most effective way to start your parenting journey, and also very useful for those already in process. Meeting experts and providers, talking to MHB's staff and board members, and networking with other prospective dads - things you cannot do online!

In 2018 we broke all past attendance records and saw the introduction of the very successful conference in Florida. In 2019 we are introducing a new exciting Asia conference in Taipei, and larger new venues in Chicago and New York. See the schedule below (2019 event registration will commence in September 2018)