ARCHIVAL: How It All Started — Anne & Jaimie on Infertility, IVF, and Building a Lesbian Family

Before The Queer Family Podcast had its name, it began as If These Ovaries Could Talk—a show Jaimie launched with original co-host Robin Hopkins.

In this very first episode, Robin interviews Jaimie and her wife Anne as they share the real-time story of building their family as a lesbian couple: unexpected infertility, choosing a sperm donor, navigating IUI and IVF, and the emotional and financial reality of trying to have a second child.

At the time, they couldn’t find many podcasts that talked honestly about queer fertility and LGBTQ+ family building—so they made the show they needed.

This is an archival re-release of the episode that started it all, capturing the very beginning: pregnant, overwhelmed, hopeful, and figuring it out as they went.

Archival note: Originally released as Episode 1 of If These Ovaries Could Talk (Pre-TQFP). Audio quality and language reflect the time it was recorded.

🏳️‍🌈 Key Takeaways

• Queer infertility is real—and often invisible.
• Even without a medical diagnosis, lesbian couples can face long, emotionally taxing fertility journeys.
• Fertility treatment isn’t linear.
• IUI, IVF, switching doctors, and starting over are often part of the process—not signs of failure.
• The donor search can become overwhelming.
• What starts as practical decision-making can quickly turn emotional, ethical, and financially complex.
• This conversation didn’t exist yet—so we created it.
• The podcast began because queer families weren’t hearing their stories reflected anywhere else.

🏳️‍🌈 About the Guest(s)🏳️‍🌈

• Robin Hopkins — original co-host of If These Ovaries Could Talk and interviewer for this episode.
• Jaimie and Anne are a married couple living in New York City. They’ve been together for 17 years and married for 13, and are raising their two children (plus their dog). During their own journey through infertility, fertility treatment, and donor conception, Jaimie realized she couldn’t find honest, relatable conversations about queer family building—so she decided to create the show she wished had existed.

🏳️‍🌈 Thanks to our sponsors!

• California Cryobank If you’re listening to this show, there’s a good chance you’re building your family the queer way — and might need a little help in the sperm department. 🩵 Use code QUEERFAM25 at cryobank.com for a FREE Level 2 subscription to their donor catalog!

•Be Parent Surrogacy Be Parent oversees the creation of family through surrogacy and IVF, from the very beginning, extending support even well after birth. Mention The Queer Family Podcast to receive $2000 of your treatment!

🏳️‍🌈 Book with GWK's Spring Break Cruise Vacation! Join Jaimie and her family (and other LGBTQIA+ families) on a 3 night cruise in the Bahamas. Be sure to mention that you heard about it here! Click that link ➡️ https://travelbrilliant.net/mbg/gwk-spring-break-2026/

🏳️‍🌈 Interested in advertising? Email thequeerfamilypodcast@gmail.com

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🏳️‍🌈 What resonated most with you?

Drop a comment, DM us, or email thequeerfamilypodcast@gmail.com—we love hearing your stories!

🏳️‍🌈 Let’s Connect!

Find us on IG, TikTok, Bluesky, & YouTube: @thequeerfamilypodcast 🏳️‍🌈 Watch full episodes on YouTube

🏳️‍🌈 Order the If These Ovaries Could Talk book 

🏳️‍🌈 Edited by: Robin Hopkins 🏳️‍🌈 Theme Song by: Tiffany Topol 🏳️‍🌈 Logo by: Daneen Stevenato 🏳️‍🌈 Shop merch here. 🏳️‍🌈 Full transcript & episode info available on our website

🗳️ VOTE. 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ ADVOCATE. 🍼 BUILD QUEER FAMILIES.

The information shared in this episode is for educational purposes only and not a substitute for professional advice. Always consult a trusted professional for your specific situation!