Archive for June, 2015

The Love Wins Special

Posted on: June 30th, 2015 by Simple Surrogacy No Comments

In Honor of the Supreme Court’s historic decision, we at Simple Surrogacy want to help you get that Baby in your Baby carriage after your Marriage! Visit our web site and fill out a contact form to set up a consult today! The special price is valid for those who sign retainers in the month of July so act fast to get your consult set up today!

Love Wins Special

Love Wins!!!!!!

Posted on: June 26th, 2015 by Simple Surrogacy No Comments

We’re so excited over here we are crying and jumping up and down! Finally the United States is equal for everyone.

We are updating our guidelines for Same Sex couples as soon as we get confirmation form all of our attorneys as to what this means for the legal process now in texas and elsewhere where the laws were not favorable for Gay couples, and as soon as we have this new information we will pot it and make it widely available. It will only mean great things for everyone as we move forward! Congratulations to all who fought for equality for everyone, our nation owes you a great thanks!!!

Same-Sex Marriage Is a Right, Supreme Court Rules, 5-4

WASHINGTON — In a long-sought victory for the gay rights movement, theSupreme Court ruled on Friday that the Constitution guarantees a right to same-sex marriage.

Justice Anthony M. Kennedy wrote the majority opinion in the 5 to 4 decision. He was joined by the court’s four more liberal justices.

The decision, the culmination of decades of litigation and activism, came against the backdrop of fast-moving changes in public opinion, with polls indicating that most Americans now approve of same-sex marriage.

Justice Kennedy said gay and lesbian couples had a fundamental right to marry.

“No union is more profound than marriage, for it embodies the highest ideals of love, fidelity, devotion, sacrifice, and family,” he wrote. “In forming a marital union, two people become something greater than once they were.”

Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., in a dissent joined by Justice Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas, said the Constitution had nothing to say on the subject.

“If you are among the many Americans — of whatever sexual orientation — who favor expanding same-sex marriage, by all means celebrate today’s decision,” Chief Justice Roberts wrote. “Celebrate the achievement of a desired goal. Celebrate the opportunity for a new expression of commitment to a partner. Celebrate the availability of new benefits. But do not celebrate the Constitution. It had nothing to do with it.”

In a second dissent, Justice Scalia mocked Justice Kennedy’s soaring language.

“The opinion is couched in a style that is as pretentious as its content is egotistic,” Justice Scalia wrote of his colleague’s work. “Of course the opinion’s showy profundities are often profoundly incoherent.”

As Justice Kennedy finished announcing his opinion, several attendees seated in the bar section of the court’s gallery wiped away tears, while others grinned and exchanged embraces.

Justice John Paul Stevens, who retired in 2010, was on hand for the decision and many of the justices’ clerks took seats in the chamber, which was nearly full as the ruling was announced.

As in earlier civil rights cases, the Supreme Court had moved cautiously and methodically, laying careful judicial groundwork for a transformative decision.

As late as October, the justices ducked the issue, refusing to hear appeals from rulings allowing same-sex marriage in five states. That decision delivered a tacit victory for gay rights, immediately expanding the number of states with same-sex marriage to 24, along with the District of Columbia, up from 19.

Largely as a consequence of the Supreme Court’s decision not to act, the number of states allowing same-sex marriage has since grown to 36, and more than 70 percent of Americans live in places where gay couples can marry.

The court did not agree to resolve the issue for the rest of the nation until January, in cases filed by gay and lesbian couples in Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Tennessee. The court heard extended arguments in April, and the justices seemed sharply divided over what the Constitution has to say about same-sex marriage.

Lawyers for the plaintiffs said their clients had a fundamental right to marry and to equal protection, adding that the bans they challenged demeaned their dignity, imposed countless practical difficulties and inflicted particular harm on their children.

The Obama administration, which had gradually come to embrace the cause of same-sex marriage, was unequivocal in urging the justices to rule for the plaintiffs.

“Gay and lesbian people are equal,” Solicitor General Donald B. Verrilli Jr. said. “They deserve equal protection of the laws, and they deserve it now.”

Lawyers for the four states said their bans were justified by tradition and the distinctive characteristics of opposite-sex unions. They said the question should be resolved democratically, at the polls and in state legislatures, rather than by judges.

The Supreme Court had once before agreed to hear a case arising from a constitutional challenge to a same-sex marriage ban, California’s Proposition 8, in 2012 in Hollingsworth v. Perry. At the time, nine states and the District of Columbia allowed same-sex couples to marry.

But when the court’s ruling arrived in June 2013, the justices ducked, with a majority saying the case was not properly before them, and none of them expressing a view on the ultimate question of whether the Constitution requires states to allow same-sex marriage.

A second decision the same day, in United States v. Windsor, provided the movement for same-sex marriage with what turned out to be a powerful tailwind. The decision struck down the part of the Defense of Marriage Act that barred federal benefits for same-sex couples married in states that allowed such unions.

The Windsor decision was based partly on federalism grounds, with Justice Kennedy’s majority opinion stressing that state decisions on how to treat marriages deserved respect. But lower courts focused on other parts of his opinion, ones that emphasized the dignity of gay relationships and the harm that families of gay couples suffered from bans on same-sex marriage.

In a remarkable and largely unbroken line of more than 40 decisions, state and federal courts relied on the Windsor decision to rule in favor of same-sex marriage.

 

Surrogacy Still a struggle for some Gay parents

Posted on: June 23rd, 2015 by Simple Surrogacy No Comments

Simple Surrogacy sees the facts and hears the horror stories every day for Intended Fathers who have tried other routes to surrogacy and been unsuccessful. It’s hard to see so many who just want to be parents struggle through the costs, difficulties and confusion surrounding surrogacy, both domestically and internationally. When Intended parents come to Simple Surrogacy, we try to educate them about their choices and options in a non biased way, while still presenting our program in a neutral light so that Parents can make a informed decision based on all the necessary facts and figures. Not everyone is as lucky as the Parents in the story below, who had a sister willing to carry for them in a surrogacy friendly state, but we hope that every match with Simple Surrogacy will feel like family when you match through us!  We are looking forward to helping many more Intended Parents through the confusing world of Surrogacy with our family friendly approach and competitive pricing. Call us today!

Gay dads turn to ‘hero’ sister in surrogacy struggle

Canadian laws make surrogacy especially difficult for gay male couples

By The Early Edition, CBC News Posted: Jun 17, 2015 4:12 PM PT Last Updated: Jun 18, 2015 2:48 PM PT

Craig Parkes (right) and Matthew Hinton were able to have their son, Fitzgerald, thanks to Matt's sister Laura agreeing to act as a surrogate.

Craig Parkes (right) and Matthew Hinton were able to have their son, Fitzgerald, thanks to Matt’s sister Laura agreeing to act as a surrogate. (CBC)

This Father’s Day, Craig Parkes and Matthew Hinton will have a new reason to celebrate family. Their son, Fitzgerald, was born earlier this year, and although he’s been more than a welcome addition, the road to his birth was anything but easy.

“It’s been a lengthy progress,” says Hinton. The couple originally attempted insemination with a surrogate in India, but without success. On top of that, while he was there, the country shut down surrogacy for gay parents.

The solution eventually arrived through a familiar face. Hinton’s sister Laura volunteered to be a surrogate for the couple. Although that solved the issue of who would carry the baby, they still required an egg donor, which was unavailable in Canada.

“We ended up having to go through an agency and actually compensate an egg donor, which you can’t do in Canada. So because Laura lives in South Carolina, it actually worked out for us,” says Hinton.

Since the birth of their son, Parkes and Hinton were approached by Tylenol to star in its newest commercial. Parkes says it was an opportunity to destigmatize gay couples having children. “I think the more people see regular couples with babies — whether they’re gay or straight — the more comfortable they are around it. I don’t think we set out to make a point or to change people’s minds, but looking back, it’s kind of inevitable that that’s a role we’re falling into.”

Unique challenge for gay parents

The entire process made clear to Hinton the difficulty for gay couples of trying to start a family.

He says there were few options available to them because many countries do not allow two male partners to adopt a baby. On top of that, Canadian laws add to the complication of using surrogacy.

“The issue for us is that there’s a ban in Canada on paying a surrogate. You can reimburse her, but you don’t know where that line is. You also can’t pay a woman to donate an egg to you. Realistically, for a gay couple you need have both,” he says.

The Vancouver couple refer to Laura as a hero for allowing them to start their own family. Laura says the decision came easy for her.

“Family is so important. It was a way to help a family member and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”


Getting started in Surrogacy

Posted on: June 10th, 2015 by Simple Surrogacy No Comments

You might be unsure of where to start if you are just considering the surrogacy process. there is so much misinformation and every Agency is telling you that they are the best Agency. Who should you believe? Where should you start? Simple Surrogacy seeks to educate and enlighten potential Intended Parents on the choices and decisions they will make throughout the process, and guide Intended Parents to the best choices that fir their lifestyle. There are many misconceptions about surrogacy and how to begin.

First, Simple Surrogacy recommends simple research. Google the Agency you are thinking of choosing and read all of the independent reviews that you can about them.  Many sites like Men Having babies and Google Plus have ratings and reviews, even of surrogacy Agencies. Make a chart (or ask them to provide you with one) showing how they compare to their competitors in terms of service and costs. Find out what is included in the price and what will be extra. Ask about wait times to be matched with a surrogate and what kind of average timeline they have. Finally, ask to speak to previous Intended parents who have recently been through a journey and set up a consultation with your narrowed down agencies to evaluate how personal they are with you. Who will be your contact person? Do you have access to actual decision makers, who will be available to you? Are you dealing with the owners, like at Simple Surrogacy? Or will you have to go up a ladder to reach any real decision-makers with any issues you might have?

There are many different kinds of Intended Parents, all of them welcome at our Agency. One of the first things we try to do is educate Intended Parents on how the process works. here are some points that many Intended Parents are often confused or misinformed about when they begin the process.

The process is going to cost what? Many assume Surrogacy is only for the wealthy, but with one of the lowest fees for nationally ranked surrogacy Agencies, Simple, Surrogacy tries to be as affordable as possible. Most Intended Parents have been saving or utilize financing plans like those offered on our web site. There are also programs like Men Having Babies where Parents can apply for assistance, and Simple Surrogacy also gives away free services often to assist.

The next item we are always asked is about the child giving up the baby. The surrogate does not want your baby, she already children and completely understands that she is helping another family to have this child. We fully evaluate all of our surrogates to make sure they are mentally prepared and ready to undertake the process of being a surrogate. Your surrogate enters into the process fully informed as to her duties by her attorney which is provided to her and will explain her duties and responsibilities. With a lavid, legally binding contract in place, there is no chance of her being granted custody, even should she attempt it, which has never happened in our program.

Many people also ask if their surrogates are poor or are doing this for the money. While the income is welcome and will definitely help their families, our surrogates come from all social and economic backgrounds and money is not their primary motivation.  They are stay at home moms, nurses, technology associates, even executives. They must not be on any kind of public assistance and must be living in a stable home to be acceptable in our program. She must be able to meet all of her obligations without any outside assistance and without factoring in the surrogacy compensation. So, while the money is helpful, the time and responsibility that goes into a great surrogacy could never be calculated just in terms of money.

 

Many people ask about the legality of surrogacy and which laws apply to them. In Surrogacy, the laws that come into play are those in a surrogate’s state, where the birth will take place. Intended parents who live in a less surrogate ‘friendly’ state would be matched wth a surrogate who will deliver in a surrogate friendly state and have the ability to utilize their laws.  Our intended parents come from all 50 states and many international countries. Your agency should be able to tell you which surrogacy friendly states will suit your particular situation, wether you are a married couple, a single man or woman, or a gay married couple, your ideal state will differ with each Intended Parent.

As one of the World’s leading Agencies, with an International reputation of trust and respect from our clients, Simple Surrogacy works with ever type of couple or single seeking to become parents, including traditional, gay or lesbian couples and individuals of all races, religious and ethnic backgrounds. We work with the best in all reproductive fields, including doctors, clinics, attorneys, and genetic specialists to ensure the smoothest process and healthiest baby for your budding family.

Simple Surrogacy is owned by a previous egg donor and previous surrogate, and all of our employees have experience in the Surrogacy world as previous surrogates, donors and Intended Parents. Because we have all experienced the worlds of Surrogacy and Egg Donation first hand, our unique experience and perspective will aid you in having a smoother, trouble free journey. With one of the fastest match times in the industry and a wealth of beautiful, trysted surrogates, we await your call to help you begin the road to parenthood today.