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When Damien Chambers, originally from Melbourne, first held his newborn son Nathaniel in his arms, he knew his life had changed forever. The journey to fatherhood had been long, complex, and deeply emotional鈥攂ut it had also ignited a fire within him.聽

The experience of navigating surrogacy as a gay man had opened his eyes to the many challenges queer people face when trying to build their families. So, he did what only a true visionary would do: he co-founded built by and for the LGBTQIA+ community.

鈥淚 always saw myself as a parent from a young age,鈥� Damien recalls. 鈥淏ut when I came out at 19, I thought maybe that dream wasn鈥檛 possible. Then I found a book about gay parenting, and it just clicked鈥攖his is something I can do. I will be a dad one day.鈥�

Fast forward decades later, Damien鈥檚 journey took him through multiple countries in search of a viable surrogacy option. Laws changed beneath his feet, shutting doors just as he was preparing to step through them. 鈥�India banned surrogacy for foreigners while I was in the middle of interviewing agencies. Then Thailand followed. It was heartbreaking,鈥� he says. Eventually, he turned to the United States, where the process鈥攖hough expensive鈥攐ffered him a clear path forward.

That path led him to Evie, the surrogate who would carry his child and become a lifelong part of his family. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the most awkwardly beautiful meeting you鈥檒l ever have,鈥� Damien says of their initial match call. 鈥淭here I was, saying to a stranger: I need help. And here she was, saying: I want to help. It was magic.鈥�

Nathaniel was born in Phoenix, Arizona, and from that moment, Damien 鈥� who previously had a thriving musical theatre career 鈥� knew his calling had changed. With firsthand experience of the emotional highs and lows of surrogacy, he wanted to help others navigate the process.聽

NewGen Families was born from that passion.

NewGen Families: A Surrogacy Agency with Heart

NewGen Families is unlike any other surrogacy agency. It鈥檚 LGBTQIA+ owned and operated, meaning its staff have lived experience, and so a deep, personal understanding of the challenges queer parents face.聽

鈥淲e bring back hope,鈥� Damien says. 鈥淪o many of our clients come to us feeling broken鈥攈aving hit roadblock after roadblock. But we help shift their mindset. It鈥檚 not an 鈥榠f鈥� anymore; it鈥檚 a 鈥榳hen.鈥欌��

One of NewGen鈥檚 greatest strengths is its sense of community. 鈥淲e鈥檙e not just matching people with surrogates鈥攚e鈥檙e building relationships that last a lifetime,鈥� he explains.聽

鈥�Nathaniel has a whole tribe of 鈥榙iblings鈥欌�攄onor siblings鈥攂ecause I鈥檝e also been a sperm donor for multiple lesbian couples. They all know each other, play together, and grow up with this beautiful extended family.鈥�

Damien, now based in Las Vegas, speaks with warmth when he talks about his connection with Evie. 鈥淔rom the moment we met, there was this unspoken understanding. She wasn鈥檛 just carrying my child鈥攕he was part of my family. She still is,鈥� he says. Evie remains close to both Damien and Nathaniel, working with NewGen Families and continuing to play a role in their lives.聽

鈥淭he women who become surrogates are goddesses. They are angel warriors. What they do is the most selfless, extraordinary gift a person can give,鈥� he adds passionately.

The Legal Hurdles for LGBTQIA+ Parents in Australia

Many hopeful Australian parents face a complex legal landscape when trying to start their families. Surrogacy laws vary by state, creating a patchwork of policies that can be difficult to navigate.

In Victoria, altruistic surrogacy is legal, but commercial surrogacy is prohibited. This means that surrogates cannot be financially compensated beyond medical expenses. In New South Wales, Queensland, and the Australian Capital Territory, the situation is even more restrictive鈥攔esidents are explicitly banned from engaging in commercial surrogacy overseas. 鈥淭hat means gay dads in those states are forced to break the law just to have children,鈥� Damien says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 completely unjust.鈥�

These outdated laws don鈥檛 just impact gay fathers鈥攖hey affect anyone struggling with infertility. 鈥淓gg donation is also severely restricted in Australia,鈥� Damien explains. 鈥淲omen can鈥檛 be compensated for donating their eggs, yet international egg banks can profit from selling altruistically donated eggs to Australians, charging tens of thousands of dollars. It鈥檚 completely backwards.鈥�

Because of these barriers, hundreds of Australians turn to international surrogacy each year, often with the guidance of agencies like NewGen Families. 鈥淲e always advise our clients to do their due diligence and get legal advice early,鈥� Damien says. 鈥淪urrogacy is a huge undertaking, and you need to be informed every step of the way.鈥澛�

Hope and Love at the Core of Surrogacy

Despite the challenges, Damien remains hopeful about the future of family-building for LGBTQIA+ Australians. 鈥淚 remind people all the time: we have come so far,鈥� he says. 鈥淲hen I came out, being gay was still illegal in Tasmania. We couldn鈥檛 get married, and we couldn鈥檛 have kids. Now, look at us. We are here. We are thriving.鈥�

At its heart, surrogacy is an act of unadulterated love. 鈥淭here鈥檚 no such thing as an accidental surrogate baby,鈥� Damien says. 鈥淭hese children are the most wanted, the most loved, and the most cherished.鈥�

That鈥檚 why LGBTQIA+ representation in the surrogacy space matters so much. 鈥淧eople need to work with surrogacy providers who truly understand what they鈥檙e going through,鈥� Damien says. 鈥�NewGen Families is here to ensure that queer people don鈥檛 have to fight this battle alone. We鈥檙e here to make dreams come true.鈥�

For those considering surrogacy, Damien has one final piece of advice: 鈥淪tay hopeful. Stay positive. Yes, the journey is complex, but at the end of the day, it鈥檚 about love. And love will always win.鈥�

You can learn more about NewGen Families, and becoming a parent here: