Category: Lifestyle
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Stonewall Releases “So You Think Your Child Is Gay” Guide
Stonewall today publishes a guide for parents who think their child might be lesbian, gay or bisexual.
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Support The London Bid For 2018 Gay Games
Last week, Sport London hosted an event at Portcullis house, in attendance were press, politicians and members of the LGBT community, they came together to discuss the 2018 Gay Games.
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Are You Considering Surrogacy?
Over the course of the next 12 weeks, Pinder Reaux & Associates Ltd, a specialist Family Law firm will bring to you a series of six interesting and eye opening articles about surrogacy.
The first article, will present the basics of surrogacy: what it is and how it works. In later weeks, more in depth issues will be dealt with in detail allowing you to decide whether surrogacy is the right option for you.
What is Surrogacy?
Surrogacy is when another woman carries and gives birth to a child for you. Surrogacy can be an emotionally intense and legally complex arrangement; however it is growing in popularity among parents as a way of having children and possibly, may be the right option for you and your partner.
Why consider surrogacy?
You and your partner may choose surrogacy if you are unable to carry your own pregnancy. You may also be considering surrogacy because of recurrent miscarriages; a health condition which could mean that pregnancy and/or birth could be dangerous; your (or your partner’s) womb is abnormal (whether since birth or after a hysterectomy); fertility treatments (such as in vitro fertilisation- IVF) have failed, You may be in a same-sex relationship and therefore cannot have your own children or it simply may be your method for having children.
How does surrogacy work?
There are two different types of surrogacy:-
1. “Straight surrogacy”
A surrogate mother will conceive after being artificially inseminated with the intended father’s sperm. This woman will then carry the baby and surrender all of her legal rights to the baby, to the biological father and his partner when the baby is born. In this instance, the father’s partner (the new mum), can then apply to legally adopt the baby.
2. “Host surrogacy”
A surrogate mother carries a donated embryo to term. The embryo is conceived through IVF or a similar method. This means the baby can be the biological child of you and your partner, and the surrogate merely carries your baby for you until birth.
Is surrogacy legal in the UK?
Yes, as long as no fee, apart from expenses, is paid to the surrogate. However, it is illegal to advertise for a surrogate or for a surrogate to advertise, and it is against the law for a clinic to find a surrogate for you.
What are the legal issues surrounding surrogacy?
Surrogacy law in the UK is complex and there are many legal issues to consider. This is the case whatever your personal situation (single, married, cohabiting or in a same-sex relationship or civil partnership) and you should be clear on your rights from the outset of the procedure.
Surrogacy arrangements are not legally enforceable and criminal sanctions restrict advertising and prohibit commercial surrogacy organisations in the UK. However many couples enter into surrogacy contracts with the surrogate in order to ensure each party is aware of what is expected of them and to limit the risk that something may go wrong. Although these agreements are not legally binding they are being considered as persuasive authority in the family courts and therefore it is better to have one in place, rather than nothing.
The surrogate mother will be the legal mother of the child unless or until parenthood is transferred to the intended mother through a parental order or adoption after the birth of the child. This is because, in law, the woman who gives birth is always treated as the mother. If the intended parents wish to become the legal parents of the child, they may either apply to adopt the child, or apply for a parental order.
If you do not apply for either a parental order or adoption, this will leave you (as the new parents) without the right to consent to medical treatment or immunisations, register the birth of your baby or apply for a passport for your child. Essentially, the effect of the parental order and/or adoption is to transfer the rights and obligations of parentage to the intended parents, providing certain conditions are met.
The application for a parental order must be made to the Court within six months of the birth of the child. For many new parents, the time following the birth of your baby will be busy and stressful and before you realise, your baby will be reaching its first birthday. It is therefore important to protect and activate your legal rights to your child prior to the six month period elapsing. Similarly, you should also act quickly if an application for adoption is required; to limit any risk your surrogate could change her mind.
Do you apply for a Parental Order or Adoption of your child?
To register your legal rights to your child, you will either apply for a Parental Order or Adoption Order. The application you make will depend on your family’s situation.
To obtain a parental order, either you or your partner must be genetically related to your baby i.e. be the egg or sperm provider. Couples must be husband and wife, civil partners or two persons who are living as partners.
If you and your partner cannot apply for a parental order because neither of you are genetically related to your baby (donor egg and donor sperm or donor embryos were used), then adoption of your baby is the only option available to you.
If adoption order is required, then a registered adoption agency must be involved in the surrogacy process. This is why it is important to get legal advice before you decide to embark on surrogacy.
Have you identified the right surrogate?
Every couple wants a healthy child and therefore identifying the right surrogate mother is an important decision for many couples.
Many will want to know that the surrogate is in good health and does not smoke and/or drink and agrees not to do so when carrying their baby.
Others will enter into a strict arrangement as to what the surrogate can and cannot do during pregnancy in order to limit any possible health risk to their unborn child. Couples will also usually pay the surrogate’s expenses along with additional legal and agency fees if a contract is involved. Expenses can include travel, maternity clothes and loss of earnings.
What happens if I do not enter into a surrogacy agreement?
If you proceed without a surrogacy agreement, known as an informal arrangement, you as the donor or the intended parent could be in a vulnerable position. The likely scenario that can arise giving justification to a formal process can include: the surrogate deciding to keep the baby herself; refuse to give you contact; playing an active role in the child’s upbringing even though she agreed not to etc.
A formal arrangement sets out all the agreed terms before anything has been done. Although this is not binding or legally enforceable, it will clearly set out your intentions and the family courts are showing some sympathy to these arrangements.
You should consult an experienced Family Specialist Lawyer on the matter of drafting an agreement embodying your intended terms for the carrying of your baby how best your child’s future health can be protected.
Having a child through surrogacy will be one of the most important decisions you will make in your life-time. It is therefore fundamental to you and your child’s future that you consider the matter very carefully before proceeding.
You should be confident that any and all decisions you are making in respect of your future child are in place and every possible scenario has been considered. Here at Pinder Reaux & Associates we have a specialist team of family lawyers that can answer any queries you may have in respect of the procedure and legal position. We can also draft the Surrogacy Agreement in accordance to your tailored needs.
If you are considering using a surrogate or would like to discuss the issue of surrogacy in further detail, please contact us and we will be happy to discuss the matter with you.
Make sure you do not miss our next article in a fortnight’s time in which we explain why a surrogacy contract is so important.
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Pilot HIV Home Test Scheme Launched
HIV and sexual health charity Terrence Higgins Trust and the Health Protection Agency are co-launching a pilot project that will allow gay and bisexual men to access HIV home sampling kits by post.
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Pilot HIV Home Test Scheme Launched
HIV and sexual health charity Terrence Higgins Trust and the Health Protection Agency are co-launching a pilot project that will allow gay and bisexual men to access HIV home sampling kits by post.
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New Health And Wellbeing Centre Opens For Birmingham’s LGBTs
This week Birmingham LGBT held the official launch event for England and Wales’ first Health and Wellbeing centre in Birmingham’s Southside district, which will serve the needs of the city’s local lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.
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RECIPE | Dermie’s Jerusalem Artichoke And Crispy Chorizo Soup
The one winter vegetable which I absolutely adore is Jerusalem artichokes, which one could mistake as being a root of Ginger; small, bumpy, rough, Jerusalem artichokes are difficult to find in food stores generally confined to food markets or Farmers’ Markets but you can grow your own in early Spring if you so wish.
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YouGov Polls Shows Strong Support For Gay Marriage And Adoption
Strong support across Europe for gay marriage and adoption, but France remains divided.
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RECIPE | Dermie’s Orange Mince Pies
This recipe makes eighteen light zesty mince pies topped with a warm cinnamon crumble. When baking they leave a festive aroma which will linger throughout your home leaving an extra special welcoming for your guests. Serve with some softly whipped cream or a generous dollop of Armagnac butter, accompanied with a glass of mulled wine….
CREDIT: Jakub Walutek Photography Shopping List
Pastry:
– 200g Cream Flour (sieved).
– 150g Unsalted Butter (chilled & cubed).
– 50g Caster Sugar.
– 2 Orange Zest.
– 1 Organic Egg (beaten).
Filling:
– 350g Homemade or Wexford Mincemeat.
Cinnamon Crumble Topping:
– 150g Cream Flour.
– 125g Unsalted Butter.
– 75g Caster Sugar.
– 1 Tsp Ground Cinnamon.
Armagnac Butter:
– 150g Unsalted Country Butter (at room temperature).
– 100g Icing Sugar (Sieved).
– 3 Tbsp Armagnac.
– 1 Tbsp Boiling Water.
CREDIT: Jakub Walutek Photography Method
1. To make the pastry, finely grate the orange zest evenly into the flour, rub the flour, butter and sugar to form a fine breadcrumb mixture in a mixing bowl. Pour in the beaten egg slowly to bring the mixture together (you will only need ½ of the whole egg to bring it together).
2. Tip the mixture out onto a chilled floured marble surface, bring the mixture together gently with your hands and form into a rectangular shape. Cover with cling film and chill in the fridge for an hour.
3. Lightly butter and flour a 12-hole muffin tray. Thinly roll out your pastry dough in between two layers of cling film. Cut out 12 circles with your pastry cutter large enough to fill the base of your tin. Press the pastry circles into each hole and place a tablespoon of mincemeat in each pastry circle. Chill for a further 15 minutes.
4. Preheat your oven to 200C/Gas 6. Make your crumble by rubbing the flour, butter and caster sugar together to form a bread crumb mixture. Sieve in the cinnamon evenly into the mixture, cover the tops of each pie with just enough crumble to cover the mincemeat.
5. Bake for 20 minutes until he tops are golden brown. Remove from the oven and let the mince pies cool completely before removing from the tin. Place on a cake stand and cover with a dusting of icing sugar. Cover any remaining pastry with cling film and chill in the fridge to be used later in the week.
For The Armagnac Butter:
1. Beat the icing sugar and butter together until smooth. Mix in the water then add in the Armagnac.
2. Store in the fridge over night.
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RECIPE | Dermie’s Pedro Ximenez Chocolate Tart
Pedro Ximénez is a classic, luscious, sweet Spanish dessert sherry made using sun dried Pedro Ximénez grapes. It is dark mahogany in colour, reminiscent of raisins on the nose with a rich, sweet and velvety notes on the mouth leaving a very long finish.
Pedro Ximénez sherry is intensely sweet and has a real affinity with milk chocolate and is widely available in all good licensed premises. This recipe uses a generous helping of Pedro Ximénez to transform an ordinary chocolate tart recipe into something sensational.
If you wish to add extra depth to the chocolate tart then replace milk chocolate with dark chocolate in this recipe. Enjoy.
Shopping List:
Pastry:
– 190g Cream flour.
– 100g Unsalted butter (diced).
– 75g Caster sugar.
– Pinch of salt.
– 1 Organic egg (lightly beaten).
– Egg wash.
– 10″ tart tin (26cm).
Chocolate Filling:
– 400ml of double cream.
– 200g Valrhona / Lilly O’ Brien’s / Lindt milk chocolate.
– A generous pinch of sea salt.
– 25g Caster sugar.
– 2 Organic eggs.
– 100ml Pedro Ximénez (double serving).
– 1 Tsp vanilla essence.
Method
1. Place the flour, sugar, salt and butter into a food processor. Using the pulse setting, pulse the mixture a number of times slowly until the mixture resembles curse breadcrumbs. Add in the egg until the mixture comes together. Do not over work the dough as it will make the pastry tough.
2. Flatten out the dough on a floured surface into a rectangular shape 2cm thick. Then wrap in cling flim and place in the fridge for 30mins. Alternatively place in the freezer for 10 minutes.
3. Grease your loose bottom pastry tin lightly with butter and remove the pastry from the fridge. Roll out the pastry on a cold floured marble surface to a width of half an inch. Ensure you are rolling a circular shape enough to cover the sides and ends of your tin using the round loose base as your guide.
4. Using a pallet knife gently lift the pastry over your tart tin. With some of the left-over pastry, roll a small 1 inch ball of pastry dough and use this to smooth out the edges of your tart tin. Using a folk, prick the base, cover with cling film and place the lined tin in the fridge for 30 minutes.
5. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees or gas mark 4. Take the pastry tin out of the fridge and line with baking parchment coming up over the sides of the tin. Fill the tin with baking beans and ‘bake blind’ for 20 minutes until the pastry is dry.
6. Take the beans out of the pastry tray, brush the pastry with egg wash and place it back in the oven for a further 3-5 minutes until the pastry is pale and golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool while you make the chocolate filling.
7. Heat the cream in a heavy bottomed saucepan over a gentle heat until it reaches the ‘shivery stage’. Remove from the heat, add chocolate and stir until melted. Then mix in the sea salt, Pedro Ximénez and vanilla.
8. Whisk the eggs yolks and the sugar until they form a thick, white, froth and gently fold into the chocolate mixture so as to not knock out any of the air.
9. Bake for 20 minutes until just set with a very slight wobble in the centre. Do not over cook the chocolate mixture as you will dry out the tart.
10. Cool completely before serving. It is perfectly fine to make this tart the evening before your dinner party. Serve with a glass of Pedro Ximénez, a dessert wine or a strong black coffee.
Cinnamon Cream
– 150ml Cream.
– 3 Tbp Icing Sugar.
– 1 Tbsp Ground Cinnamon.
Place all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk to soft peaks.