Pride Angel

Tens of thousands of visitors are expected in Brighton and Hove for the city's 20th Pride festival, the first to be run by business leaders.

Saturday's parade and ticketed festival in Preston Park is being run by a community interest company appointed by the city council in March. The event was free until 2010 but dogged by money problems and complaints about overcrowding and litter.

Alexandra Burke and Fatboy Slim will headline the festival in the park.'Rebuild bridges' Drag entertainer Stephen Richards, who performs as Lola Lasagne, said this year's Brighton and Hove Pride was going back to its roots. "Pride is a celebration of everything we have here," he said.

"Over the last couple of years there has been a disconnection from the community and now, with a new organisation at the helm, they have tried to rebuild those bridges to include the entire community - not just businesses but voluntary sectors as well. "The most important thing they did was to promise that £1 from every ticket sold would go to charity and so far over £15,000 has been handed over which is more money than has been given in about 10 years." 'Great showcase'

The festival is usually held in August but has been delayed this year to avoid a clash with the London Olympics. The parade, based on the theme the United Colours of Pride, starts at 11:00 BST from Madeira Drive and takes in King's Road, West Street and North Street before travelling up the A23 to Preston Park. St James's Street in the city centre will be closed from 18:00 BST for the Gay Village Party.

"Pride is a great showcase for the city and one of the biggest events in the calendar," said Sussex Police Chief Supt Graham Bartlett. "It will be business as usual in the he city centre, although we do expect some temporary disruption to traffic." Police have warned that anyone holding unlicensed events, including on the beach, could face prosecution.

Article: 31st August 2012 www.bbc.co.uk

Pride Angel will be holding a Market Stall in Preston Park, so why not come and have a chat about your lesbian and gay parenting options.

A British woman is campaigning for the legal right to veto her husband's choice to donate sperm, it has emerged.

The unidentified complainant says her partner volunteered samples of his semen to a registered clinic after becoming stressed by the birth of their child, reported MailOnline. Disgruntled, the mother-of-one from Surrey has contacted the Human Fertilisation And Embryology Authority, arguing that women across the UK should be able to deny their spouse's free will on the matter - because sperm is a 'marital asset'.

She's wrong.

As a men's rights activist and someone whose mother was a counsellor in Liverpool's British Pregnancy Advisory Service, where I spent considerable time as a boy, I value the importance of choice massively. But it cuts both ways. The old maxim of 'my body, my choice' is one that applies to both genders, not just women.

Whatever a man chooses to do with his sperm - his lineage, DNA and personification of reproductive liberty - is his decision and his alone, regardless of marital status. And given that a man's permission isn't needed for the termination of a pregnancy, I find this woman's plea particularly offensive.

'What a terrible reason to deny somebody the chance of legitimately fathering children: inconvenience' Yes, he probably had a moral obligation to inform his wife, but he certainly didn't have a legal one - and never should he. After all, a woman should never need a man's approval to donate her eggs, whether she is married to him or not.

This man clearly made his decision freely and within the medical world's rigid guidelines. He also never retracted his consent, which is precisely what this issue boils down to. Well, that and spousal control.

This woman claims she's concerned about the psychological effect any children fathered by her husband will have on her. She's equally worried that they might 'disrupt' her family life. But what a terrible reason to deny somebody the chance of legitimately fathering children: inconvenience. Personally, I suspect this woman is angry because she cannot trap her partner. Forever, getting pregnant has been a trump card used by some women in the so-called gender war. But suddenly there's a loophole.

I'm sorry, this is not a reason to change the law; to compromise a patient's right to confidentiality or to deny infertile couples the opportunity to have a family. Not least because men already suffer from insufficient rights when it comes to paternity. Men are regularly denied access to their children (but forced to financially support them), yet - even when they obtain visitation orders via the courts - they rarely get them enforced. Likewise, look at the scores of men who are victims of paternity fraud. The same men who request DNA testing for a newborn, only to be denied it unless the mother consents. Where is there fairness in that?

Last year, in Australia, a man's name was taken off the birth certificate of his daughter - simply because the mother and her female partner wanted to erase any trace of his (crucial) involvement. Stripping men of any more paternal rights would be inhumane. Yes, women face issues over parenthood too - but nobody is trying to marginalise their rights.

Personally, I suspect this woman wants to limit her husband's choice for the sake of control, when - really - she should be asking why he suffered post-traumatic stress in the first place. If this woman is successful in changing the law, where would it end? What other body parts could a partner claim to co-own? Could a man stop a woman from becoming a surrogate mother? Could a woman stop a man from having a vasectomy?

Either marriage is about ownership or it isn't. Personally, I believe it's about partnership. But I'm not sure she does. She has been quoted several times explaining how this situation affected her, but never her husband. That's a bad sign. Yes, it may have repercussions on her - but she chose to marry him, for better and for worse.

I sympathise that his decision may emotionally affect her, but that's life. It doesn't mean we should go changing the law. More importantly, the truth remains the same: a man's body is a man's choice. And I'll throw myself in front of the (future) king's horse if that ever changes.

Article: by Peter Lloyd 28th August 2012 www.dailymail.co.uk

Comment by Erika - Pride Angel:
It is understandable that this lady has her own concerns and fears regarding the unknown possible implications of her husband’s donations. Her fears may reflect her own feeling regarding her husband not wanting more children with his wife, but being prepared to help others.

It is also her concern that the donor children may threaten her own family life if they were to make contact in the future. However in reality this may not affect her family’s life or her children’s, if her husband’s donations are explained to her children in a positive and open manner.

The HFEA have stated that counseling was offered but cannot always be enforced. The key issue here is that men choosing to donate do need to consider the implications and feelings of their family and that good communication in of paramount importance.

However we cannot surely enforce a situation whereby consent from a partner, wife or husband needs to be achieved before donations can be given. It is after all an individual’s choice to give the gift of life.

This year’s Manchester Pride was a great success with thousands of people who marched through the streets of Manchester for the annual Pride parade. More than 100 floats made their way through the city centre, setting off from Deansgate at 13:00 BST. Crowds of people waved rainbow flags and Pride Angel flags. The floats travelled through the city and finished on Whitworth Street, just outside the gay village.

The parade was part of the Pride Big Weekend, the festival held each year to celebrate lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) life. Events started on Friday and ran until Monday.

This year's parade theme was "Queer'd Science" in honour of computer pioneer Alan Turing. The gay codebreaker was convicted of gross indecency in 1952, when homosexual acts were illegal in the UK. He died from cyanide poisoning two years later and it was ruled at his inquest that he had committed suicide.

Manchester's Pride festival began in 1990 as a collection of bring-and-buy stalls outside a pub. As well as the parade, the festival now includes a weekend of live music, including this year from Steps, Amelia Lily and Alison Moyet, and a candlelit vigil to remember those who have died after contracting HIV, or are living with the condition.

Manchester Pride also included ‘The Lifestyle Expo’ which had another busy and successful year with 50 stalls, covering information on community groups, parenting, health and sports. Erika from Pride Angel said ‘ We were delighted to speak with so many people who came to chat with us over the weekend and it was so lovely to see 5 babies who had been created with the help of Pride Angel. It certainly makes all our hard work worthwhile’.

Read more about gay and lesbian parenting options at www.prideangel.com

Manchester Pride 2012 will be an out, loud and proud celebration with music, comedy, dancing, theatre – and above all fun. Pride runs from August 17 to August 27 including the Pride Fringe and the Big Weekend, which starts this Friday. It celebrates the city’s thriving lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities.

Thousands of visitors are expected for the Big Weekend, a non-stop party between August 24 and 27. The Gaydar main arena on Bloom Street/Sackville Street will host some of the hottest acts. Confirmed artists include Steps, Amelia Lily, 2 Shoes,Alexander Stewart Bjorn Again, Scarletts Rose, Louise Dearman, Alison Moyet and Cleo Sol. On stage at Sackville Gardens there is a programme of live bands with new talent and more established acts performing throughout the weekend. Between 4pm and 11pm on the Sunday the focus will be on female bands, performers and comedians.

One of the highlights of Pride is the Parade on Saturday August 25 from 1pm. More than 100 floats will make their way through the city’s streets providing a carnival of colour and attracting thousands of spectators. It starts on Deansgate opposite the Hilton Hotel and finishes on Whitworth Street, just outside the Gay Village. Details of the full route is here.

This year’s theme is ‘Queer’d Science’ to honour the 100th anniversary of codebreaker Alan Turing whose work at Bletchley Park helped crack the Nazi enigma cipher. The gay computer pioneer was prosecuted for gross indecency for having relations with another man in 1952 when it was illegal. He committed suicide two years later. A legal bid to clear his name has been launched in the Lords.

The village market will be on throughout the Big Weekend with stalls selling treats including sweets, clothing, jewellery. The Lifestyle Expo will run between 11am and 6pm from Saturday August 25 to Monday, August 27 with information about community groups, health and sports clubs as well as legal advice. Visit Pride Angel at the Lifestyle expo.

The pace of the weekend will slow on Monday August 27 at 9.15pm with the George House Trust candlelit vigil to remember those who have lost their lives to HIV and those who are fighting the epidemic worldwide. The vigil, which takes place in Sackville Gardens, closes Pride week. A Pride wristband is needed to get into the Big Weekend site around Canal Street, but not for the Parade or the candlelit vigil. A weekend ticket for the festival is £20 and a day pass £12. Child weekend tickets are £7.50 and day passes, £5.

Why not come along to the Lifestyle Expo to chat with Pride Angel about gay and lesbian parenting options.

Article: 24th August 2012 www.menmedia.co.uk

A Features Writer for the Mail on Sunday is looking for anyone who might be able help with a positive feature they are working on for this Sunday’s newspaper.

They are looking to speak to young people, aged between six and 30, about their experience of being raised by same-sex parents. (They would also like to speak to one of their parents as well, if possible). The tone of this article would be 100% positive. It is in response to Sir Elton John’s concerns this week that his son Zachary will have a ‘very difficult’ childhood because he is raised by same-sex parents.

'We want our case studies to say why this isn’t the case' said Laura. Ideally, they would love them to talk a little about their childhood and highlight why it was a positive experience and they wouldn’t change it at all.

Laura the features writer would be really grateful if you’d get in touch to laura.powell@mailonsunday.co.uk and liz.sanderson@mailonsunday.co.uk. Alternatively, their office line is 020 3615 3239. Many thanks.

or if you just want a little more information please contact us at Pride Angel.

Article: 23rd August 2012 by Pride Angel

The Building Families Show 2013 will be bringing together the world’s leading IVF, fertility and surrogacy specialists together under one roof.

Here, they will showcase the variety of methods and cutting edge technologies to make surrogacy and gamete donation work for you. Each year Building Families will aim to hold two or more exhibitions around the world, one in Europe then branching out to the United States, Asia and Australia.

We will also be holding seminars and workshops throughout each show, with leading industry experts taking pole position providing full and informative talks in their chosen specialist field.

Building Families is dedicated to providing its visitors with the highest quality of companies, experts and agencies to showcase their innovative methods which lead to countless successes.

Building Families is an exhibition for anybody, whether a couple or individual that wishes to start or extend their family. “With 1 in 6 couples seeking help in trying for a child, infertility has become an epidemic of our generation”.

The inaugural exhibition will be held on 6th April 2013, at The Hilton, London Metropole in their largest space, The Monarch Suite. The Building Families Show 2013 has already amassed a great amount of support from many of the clinics, agencies, legal firms and media outlets involved within the industry and the headline sponsors of the show, The British Surrogacy Centre, New England Fertility Institute, California Fertility Partners, Dawson Cornwell and The Reproductive Law Centre are some of the world’s foremost pioneers in their fields.

Our seminar programme for the London show has the highest calibre of speakers from around the world, including Barrie Drewitt-Barlow – The British Surrogacy Centre, Dr Gad Lavy – New England Fertility Institute, Dr Susan Treiser – IVF New Jersey and Anne-Marie Hutchinson OBE – Dawson Cornwell. They will all be hosting seminars on chosen topics to cover all aspects from immigration, egg & sperm donation, to IVF and fertility treatments.

Amongst our growing list of exhibitors are Pride Angel, IVF New Jersey, DuoFertility, The Essex Sperm Bank, A City Law Firm and Natalie Gamble Associates, along with our headline sponsors.

Our current media partnerships are with Pride Life magazine, GayTimes and Diva magazines, Pink Parenting and Fertility Road magazines, GayNI magazine, along with Gaydar and Gaydio radio stations.

This opportunity is too big to miss out on. You can register online for FREE admission at www.buildingfamilies.co.uk

Click on FREE ADMISSION to register to get your free tickets today. If you have any questions or queries regarding the show please contact David Farr – Director of Events on +44 (0)1621 878 658, or via email david@redcowevents.com

We look forward to seeing you at what is already being described as the largest show of its kind anywhere in Europe.

Article: 22nd August 2012 www.buildingfamilies.co.uk

America's fertility rate, once the envy of the developed world, has fallen to 1.9, below the "replacement rate" of 2.1 at which a population is said to be stable. That drop, now below France's birth rate, seems to have occurred in conjunction with the recession.

"Conservative Americans like to contrast the vigor and virility of their own country with the decadence and decline of Europe," noted the Economist this week. "Demography is exhibit A in their argument. Mitt Romney, for example, talked about Europe's 'demographic disaster' as he ended his presidential bid in 2008, calling it 'the inevitable product of weakened faith in the Creator, failed families, disrespect for the sanctity of human life and eroded morality.'"

The total fertility rate is a key measure of that so-called virility. But in 2011, America's rate fell below not only replacement level, but also some large European countries, including France and England. The Economist says France's rate is stable, while England's is growing a little.

The decreased rate occurring in lockstep with the faltering economic likely centers on the fact that, absent ample work and bright fiscal prospects, many migrants are choosing to go back to their native countries. Immigrants typically have somewhat larger families. And young couples are putting off starting families, citing economic factors, according to an article in USA Today.

A forecast presented by Demographic Intelligence in July predicted that the birth rate in America will fall to 1.87 this year and 1.86 next year. That's the lowest it has been since 1987, said the Virginia-based company, which provides quarterly birth forecasts to companies that produce products for families, among others.

In a written statement reported earlier in the Deseret News, the demographer group noted that the decline is striking and unexpected, given that the children of baby boomers, a large group referred to as the Echo Boom generation, is of child-bearing age, "which should have led to an increase in the overall number of children born each year. But this baby boomlet has so far failed to materialize because today's young adults are concerned about their current employment status and future economic prospects."

Article: 17th August www.deseretnews.com

Read more about fertility and how to boost your chances of getting pregnant at www.prideangel.com

A new fertility product to help you conceive naturally

How the DuoFertility programme can help you overcome the fertility challenge and take control of an emotional journey.

Lara’s story
Lara heard about DuoFertility from her mum, after she read about it in the paper. ‘DuoFertility was just what I needed. I wanted to be reassured that I was actually ovulating and if possible avoid, or even just identify whether I might need fertility treatment. DuoFertility helped us do this effectively and in the shortest amount of time possible so we didn’t delay.’

DuoFertility kept a close eye on Lara’s cycles and the DuoFertility reports gave her the information she was looking for. ‘It was great to see that I was ovulating every month and this really put my mind at rest, especially because I knew age was a big factor in fertility.’

‘I really liked being able to ring up and speak to someone about my charts too for that extra detail about my cycles. Although I thought I was reading the graphs properly, it was reassuring to talk things through with a fertility advisor to make sure I didn’t come to the wrong conclusions.’ ‘In the end, we didn’t need any treatments because DuoFertility had helped us conceive after only five months into the monitoring programme’

After receiving her kit, Lara quickly found DuoFertility was really simple to use. ‘I do lots of swimming and exercise so at first I was unsure how I would get on with attaching the sensor every day. My bra strap secured the sensor in place and so I felt comfortable wearing it. I soon forgot I was wearing the sensor at all.’

Lara wanted to share her experiences with others to encourage them to consider what DuoFertility can offer. ‘I have talked to colleagues about DuoFertility. They confided in me about their infertility issues after I opened up about my own journey. I knew they could also benefit from the support DuoFertility gave me.’

DuoFertility is an extremely accurate yet simple to use fertility monitoring service. Get the convenience of fertility predictions up to six days in advance of your fertile window, giving you plenty of time to plan ahead.

As well as the fertility predictions, the monitor confirms ovulation actually occurred which is that extra reassurance your cycle is working as it should be. From the comfort of your own home, your plug-in device connects to the DuoFertility Centre via your computer. The team of fertility experts will review any unusual patterns in the menstrual cycle in case there are reasons to follow up on testing or treatment with your doctor – which can help avoid any further delays in conceiving.

The DuoFertility Money back guarantee
Qualifying couples can apply to use DuoFertility on a 12 month programme with the promise of their money back if they don’t manage to conceive naturally

The reassuring element to DuoFertility is that all couples can seek advice from the expert team whenever they have questions. This includes being able to ask the team of advisers whether DuoFertility is suitable in exactly your own situation. Find out if DuoFertility is right for you by using the online tool

Article: 18th August 2012 www.duofertility.com

Buy your Duofertility monitor here

The Daily Mirror's Your Life Section is looking for families with a unique co-parenting set up that would be interested in being interviewed for a feature on this subject.

They are looking to run three separate stories which will give an insight into the decision making background to your alternative co-parenting arrangements and also how it works at the moment.

The Daily Mail are looking to hear from a variety of different parents, from a woman who decided she wanted to have children but not the relationship, to a dad who prefers to be involved in a lighter way in parent-hood. Their aim is to do a feature that is insightful and informative about modern family arrangements.

Any case studies would need to be named and pictured.

More more information please contact us at info@prideangel.com

Article: 15th August Pride Angel

What happens when you have a baby with a sperm donor who is known to you? An old friend maybe, or a friend of a friend. Sarah Wood-Heath from fertility lawyers Natalie Gamble Associates looks at the recent change in the law and how it could affect you.

“So, what do you think? I want a baby and if you’re happy to help that would be great. I don’t want anything from you, no money, involvement... although if we did have a baby I would like him or her to at least know you. I think it’s important for them to know their origins but I certainly would not want you to be part of their life, I will be their mother...” says Linda.

Mark replies: “Sure, it sounds great. I’ve known you for so long I would be happy to help. I’m not ready to be a dad and am not even sure that is something I would ever want to be. I certainly don’t want to be known as dad or anything or have any involvement in their life. May be I could just see them a couple of times a year”.

And so the stage is set.

More often than not known donation arrangements like Mark and Linda’s are entered into with the best of intentions. One party desperate for a baby, the other happy to help as long as there are no strings attached. Assurances are made all round that the mum will not seek financial assistance and the donor will not have substantial involvement .

Many known donation arrangements are very successful, particularly where the adults spend a long time considering their wishes and feelings and thrashing out between them what they each expect in terms of a relationship. However,sometimes things do not go so smoothly, and an underlying mismatch of expectations and the arrival of someone so cute and adorable can spell disaster. Suddenly the donor realises that he helped to create this little person and feelings which were entirely unexpected begin to brew. He thinks “Maybe, just maybe, I do want to be dad!’.

So arrives Benny.

Mark says “He is so cute. I can’t believe I made him and he is mine. When can I see him next? I can pop over tomorrow if that is ok. Don’t forget, when you need a rest I’m here. Maybe he could stay overnight with me on Saturday?”

Linda says “Hang on, this isn’t what we agreed. You didn’t want to be a part of his life. I never expected this and it is not the way I wanted to bring Benny up. He will only have limited contact with you so he knows where he came from”.

When positions are so far apart how do you unravel the mess?

Bitter disputes such as these often end up in the courts where judges have to decide whether there should be contact between Mark and Benny as well as whether it would be in Benny’s best interests to have a full relationship with Mark (including staying the night and going on holiday).

Up until now, the courts have been supportive of what everyone agreed before the baby was born and would often make a decision on that basis. However, the Court of Appeal has recently changed things with a landmark decision that a donor father should have a significant relationship with his child even though this was not what everyone had agreed at the outset. The court ruled that one cannot predict the future or account for the fact that there may be a change of feelings. If a donor father decides he wants a relationship with the child, it may not be wrong to stop this just because originally he did not want one. In fact, the relationship could be a good thing for the child. But there are no hard and fast rules to this as each case has its own circumstances and permutations. This is a sad and difficult position for everyone involved - Linda who entered the arrangement on the basis and understanding that she would be the sole carer; Mark who entered into the arrangement unaware that the little bundle of joy would evoke such feelings in him.

In this case, the law could come down on the side of the Mark. I for one would not wish for the job of a judge in such disputes, having to weigh in the balance so many conflicting interests, but ultimately the decision is what is in the best interests of the child, not what the adults agreed.

So, is Mark a sperm donor or dad? It seems that now, he can change his mind!

Article:7th August www.g3mag.co.uk

If you'd like more information surrounding the legal aspects of surrogacy, donor conception, fertility treatment and gay and lesbian parenting, visit www.nataliegambleassociates.com

Find your co-parent or known donor at www.prideangel.com