Here’s one for the record books.
A 61-year-old woman from Omaha, Nebraska just gave birth. To her granddaughter.
To help out her son.
It’s not that Matthew Eledge’s wife can’t have a baby; it’s that Matthew’s gay partner — Elliot Dougherty — can’t.
The two husbands wanted to have a child together, so mom/grandma/mom-in-law gave the ol’ 9-month pitch-in.
Cecile Elege told local KETV she was psyched from the start:
“There was no moment of hesitation. It was natural instinct.”
So whose sperm was placed into Cecile? That would be Matthew’s.
It would appear that a woman was impregnated by her son, subsequently giving birth to both her granddaughter and daughter. Therefore, Matthew’s daughter is also his half-sister.
But given Cecile’s age, of course, that isn’t the case.
The egg was provided by Elliot’s sister.
On Monday — April Fool’s Day — Cecile gave birth to five-pound, thirteen-ounce Uma Louise Dougherty-Eledge.
Matthew said the unconventional path to fatherhood only makes it more special:
“When you are gay and married and want to have a kid, you go into it with knowledge that you are going to have to create a family in a special way. There are creative, unique ways to build a family.”
Omaha editorial and lifestyle photographer Ariel Panowics posted several photos of the family to Instagram, with an affectionate caption:
“Carried and birthed by her 61-year old Grandmother, and created by her two dads and loving aunt, Uma is surrounded by an immense amount of love. Being a part of today was amazing. Cele, you are a warrior.”
Two Men and a Baby is becoming a more common combo. According to ConsideringAdoption.com, in 2010, there were 115,064 gay couples with kids in the U.S.
The adoption site explains that gay couples offer the same benefits to children as do straight couples:
Same-sex adoption is just as beneficial as opposite-sex adoption. One of the most persistent inaccuracies about same-sex parents adopting is that their child will grow up at a disadvantage compared to those who are adopted by opposite-sex parents. The ignorance of this belief is perhaps the most important fact about same-sex adoption to learn. Time and time again, gay adoption research has indicated that there are no detrimental effects to children who are raised by same-sex parents.
The American family landscape is certainly morphing into something new. For two extraordinary examples, see here and here.
It’s a changing world.
-Alex
Relevant RedState links in this article: here and here.
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