Newtown Resident Launches National Database For LGBTQ+ Families

Newtown PA

19 February, 2021

12:19 PM

Description

NEWTOWN, PA — A 35-year-old Newtown attorney and LGBTQ+ influencer has launched a new national database with legal and fertility resources for families. Last week, Gena Jaffe announced to her followers that Connecting Rainbows was live. Within 48 hours of that Instagram post, Jaffe received nearly 200 requests for legal assistance. The database provides a list of experts in the U.S. and Canada who are experienced in the adoption process for LGBTQ+ families, which can often be cumbersome, Jaffe said. For example, Jaffe and her wife have had two children through reciprocal IVF, which allows both partners to participate biologically in a pregnancy. Her wife still had to go through the process of adopting the children, however, to ensure she would maintain parental rights. "What people don't know is a birth certificate is just a piece of paper. It doesn't hold any weight in other states," she said. "For same sex couples, it's a very important step to take to ensure your parental rights are covered to protect your family." Prior to her new venture, Jaffe was a corporate lawyer in New York City, writing up contracts and securities litigation, oftentimes for female small business entrepreneurs. It's the city where she met her wife and they eventually decided to move to Newtown, near Jaffe's childhood hometown of Langhorne. While living in Bucks County has been an adjustment compared to Manhattan, she finds Bucks Countians to be accepting of her lifestyle. "It's definitely different living here. We have to come out all the time," she said. "We're both very girly looking so we don't look gay. People assume I have a husband when they see me at the playground with my kids. In New York, people don't assume anything." By sharing her story and those of other same sex couples who have been through the fertility and legal adoption process, she hopes more LGBTQ+ parents can make well-informed decisions. "The legal aspect is a very emotional journey," she said. "It's about having somebody who can hold your hand through it." Like what you're reading? Sign up to get daily Patch emails and stay in the know on local news: https://patch.com/subscribe