If These Ovaries Could Talk: The Things We’ve Learned About Making an LGBTQ Family. Jamie Kelton and Robin Hopkins. Lit Riot Press, 2020. 345 pages.
Several years ago, a lesbian couple decided to start a family. Anne and Jaimie would each get pregnant and have a child. Anne was the first, but when it came time for Jaimie to conceive, she couldn’t. Frustrated by years of infertility, she sought comfort on the internet from other LGBT+ people in the same boat. She found little.
Figuring there had to be others “in the same boat,” she conceived an idea for a podcast. In 2017, she connected with Robin Hopkins at a Pride family picnic and the popular podcast “If These Ovaries Could Talk” was born. The podcast, which asks LGTB+ families every question imaginable about their journeys to parenthood, was a huge hit.
Now the two hosts have written a book based on dozens of interviews to help address recurring questions that have come up during their podcast. Is it important to have a child with your genetics? How does one pick a sperm donor? How will you talk to your children about where they came from? And just how does one pay for a baby because rumor has it, it costs a lot?
With insights and stories from guests such as Staceyann Chin, Judy Gold, and State Senator Zach Wahls, Jaimie and Robin go humorously in-depth and guide you on a journey that is equal parts funny, serious, happy, sad, celebratory, cautionary, and powerful.
The book is written in an accessible, down-to-earth style and arranged in a way that allows readers to skip around and create their own baby adventure book. Practical, relevant, and often humorous, this book is an absolute must-read for anyone interested in creating a non-traditional family. And if you already have such a family, this book will reassure you that you are not alone.
Jaimie Kelton is an award-winning actor, voiceover artist, producer, and podcast host based in New York City. Her voice can be heard in Disney’s hit cartoon The Octonauts (Tweak, Pinto, Twinkle the Sea Star), Amazon’s Bug Diaries (Scarlet Lily Beetle, Ant Leader), and Fairy Tale Forest (Gaby). She lives with her wife, two children, and a tiny dog named Roxie in Manhattan.
Author Robin Hopkins is an award-winning actor, writer, producer, and podcast host. Her acting credits include Boardwalk Empire, Louie, Hindsight, and Mi America. In the writing world, she is a frequent contributor to both HuffPost and Medium. Her television writing credits include VH1’s Big Morning Buzz Live and Divas, MTV’s Teen Mom Reunion Special, and O Music Awards.
