Birthstory

Jan 27, 2023

This fascinating exploration of modern parenthood dives into the emotional and ethical complexities of surrogacy. Follow the journey of a gay couple navigating international surrogacy while facing legal hurdles and ethical dilemmas. The narrative shifts focus to the surrogate mothers, revealing their personal stories of empowerment and hardship. Amidst cultural challenges and societal pressures, the podcast highlights the intense emotions surrounding the quest for family, all set against the backdrop of global surrogacy debates.

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ANECDOTE

The Announcement

At Maya Kosover's birthday party, Tal, a sign language translator, announced he would soon be a father of three.
This sparked curiosity about the unusual circumstances of their impending parenthood.

INSIGHT

Paternal Instincts

Amir, Tal's partner, recognized Tal's paternal potential early in their relationship.
Amir's desire for children stemmed from his career as a child psychologist.

ANECDOTE

The Manifesto

Amir presented Tal with a "manifesto" outlining his vision for their future, including having children.
They initially explored co-parenting with a friend but ultimately decided against it due to Amir's desire for a biological child.

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You know the drill — all it takes is one sperm, one egg, and blammo — you’ve got yourself a baby. Right? Well, in this 2015 episode, conception takes on a new form — it’s the sperm and the egg, plus: two wombs, four countries, and money. Lots of money.

This is the story of an Israeli couple, two men, who go to another continent to get themselves a baby — three, in fact — by hiring surrogates to carry the children for them. As we follow them on their journey, an earth-shaking revelation shifts our focus from them to the surrogate mothers. Unfolding in real time, as countries around the world considered bans on surrogacy, this episode looked at a relationship that manages to feel deeply affecting and deeply uncomfortable at the same time.

“Birthstory” is a collaboration with the brilliant radio show and podcast Israel Story, created to tell stories for, and about, Israel. Go check ‘em out! (https://zpr.io/rX3DazcJiUUG)

Israel Story's five English-language seasons were produced in partnership with Tablet Magazine (https://zpr.io/HxYET7psAbPh) and we highly recommend you listen to all of their work at (https://zpr.io/HD3LSqq25LEx)

This episode was produced and reported by Molly Webster.

Special thanks go to: Israel Story, and their producers Maya Kosover, and Yochai Maital; reporters Nilanjana Bhowmick in India and Bhrikuti Rai in Nepal plus the International Reporting Project (https://zpr.io/KxN7etFiqWHL); Doron Mamet, Dr Nayana Patel, and Vicki Ferrara; with translation help from Aya Keefe, Karthik Ravindra, Turna Ray, Tom Wasserman, Pradeep Thapa, and Adhikaar (https://zpr.io/MDyadskgwZtH), an organization in Ridgewood, Queens advocating for the Nepali-speaking community.

Audio Extra:

Tal and Air had a chance to meet each surrogate once - just after the deliveries, after all the paperwork was sorted out, and before any one left Nepal. As Amir says, they wanted to say "a big thank you." These meetings between intended parents, surrogate, and new babies are a traditional part of the surrogacy process in India and Nepal, and we heard reports from the surrogates that they also look forward to them. These moments do not stigmatize, reveal the identity of, or endanger the surrogates. Tal and Amir provided the audio for this web extra.

EPISODE CREDITS: Reported by - Molly Websterwith help from - Maya Kosover, Yochai Maital, Bhrikuti Rai