Conceivable: A Guide to Making 2SLGBTQ+ Family

You are creating your family. You may not know how (or with whom) quite yet, but you are on your way.




Conceivable: A Guide to Making 2SLGBTQ+ Family moves beyond the birds and the bees to consider the politics, challenges, choices and opportunities for agency and joy involved in 2SLGBTQ+ fertility, conception and family building in Canada. With contributions from healthcare workers, mental health professionals and support people in the field of reproductive health and 2SLGBTQ+ sexual care, this book is an honest and thorough look at growing your family.



Conceivable is for birthing parents, non-gestational parents, families seeking a surrogate or donor, and those who do not yet know what they need. With illustrations, worksheets and activities to help you think about the intimate questions of communication, relationship building and community, this guide will prepare you with the knowledge you need to navigate advocacy, rights and regulations.
Written and collected by Laine Halpern Zisman (PhD), a certified fertility support practitioner and postdoctoral fellow in public health and social policy, Conceivable is a complete guide to supporting 2SLGBTQ+ people in building their family.

Conceivable is a guide for intended parents navigating the challenges, opportunities, and choices involved in 2SLGBTQ+ fertility and family building in Canada.

Features:
• Written by a queer full-spectrum doula and fertility scholar
• Focus on Canada
• Interactive, worksheets, and activities
• Anti-oppressive reproductive justice framework
• Illustrated guide
• Focus on communication, relationship building, and personal strategies
• Contributions from 2SLGBTQ+ birthworkers and fertility care providers

Laine Halpern Zisman is a postdoctoral fellow at the School of Public Health and Social Policy at the University of Victoria and a lecturer at the University of Toronto. Her work moves through the intersections of 2SLGBTQ+ equity, culture and reproductive care. She received a PhD from the University of Toronto and an MFA in documentary media at Toronto Metropolitan University.

Laine is a certified fertility support practitioner and family building educator, helping people navigate all stages of their perinatal journeys. She has published two collected volumes, Women and Popular Culture in Canada and the second edition of Queerly Canadian, co-edited with Scott Rayter.

Kelsy Vivash is a queer artist, designer and writer currently living in Toronto with her spouse and their beloved pets. Her work is inspired by nature and nostalgia.