We're celebrating Pride Month, and the release of the Pride & Joy collection, alongside LGBTQ+ families that feel pride for the journey and struggles of becoming parents, raising their children, and forming communities. We gathered families to feature in our photos for the collection and we chatted with them to share their stories.
Today, we chatted with the Garrett-Walker family. Whitneé is a Beyonce loving public school leader who enjoys dancing, J. is a Harry Potter loving university professor, and Cadence is a 70s-funk loving, happy 4-month-old baby. Read on to learn more about their journey in parenting.
PLANNING A FAMILY
(From J) We have been together for 9 years and have had many conversations about what our lives would look like as parents. We are so blessed to finally have Cadence here with us and to finally see our vision in action.
As a Black queer couple, we have always been very thoughtful about how we would embark upon the journey of parenthood. With those intersecting identities, it has always been important to us for our child to feel safe, loved, and free to be whoever they are. We are raising Cadence with both a positive and critical world view that is rooted in the reality of their identity as a Black child who has two moms.
THEIR UNIQUE JOURNEY
In January 2019, we began the process of Intrauterine Insemination, utilizing a sperm donor from the sperm bank. After a miscarriage in January and a failed IUI attempt in February, we took a break. In May 2019, Whitneé became pregnant with Cadence! We have enjoyed every moment (even the difficult ones) of becoming a family!
LESSONS FROM PARENTING
Parenting has made us both comfortable with 'going with the flow.' As one can imagine, having a baby is not about you, your schedule, or expectations, it's about taking care of a tiny human who needs you and virtually nothing else matters.
We've learned that documenting every milestone and appreciating every single moment with our child because they are growing so fast!
A MESSAGE TO OTHER QUEER FAMILIES
Our advice is to be patient, communicate, and breathe!! Parenting is not always easy, but having a solid foundation and strong communication with your partner goes a long way.
Thank you to the Garrett-Walker family for sharing their story with us!! You can see the entire Pride & Joy Collection here: https://babytula.com/collections/pride-and-joy