Gay couple Amit Shah and Aditya Madiraju expecting their first child

Amit Shah and Aditya Madiraju were in awe when their traditional 2019 Desi wedding to celebrate their union in New Jersey went viral as a celebration of love and culture. Now, the couple is excited to see their family grow.

Gay couples expecting first baby

The journey to their biological child would prove to be anything but easy: from learning the difference between surrogate mothers, egg donors, and gestational carriers to determining which of those couples was the best fit for them. After nearly three years of searching for an egg donor and four rounds of IVF, the couple received the exciting news that they would welcome their first child in May.

Shah and Madiraju have been learning about the nuances of having biological children, from understanding the differences between egg donors, surrogate mothers and gestational carriers to getting a call about which of those couples would be part of the growing up of his family.

“Most of this, actually 90 per cent or more, comes out of pocket,” Shah explained, sharing that only a few insurance companies support LGBTQ couples in their fertility journey.

While the couple have faced setbacks when it comes to financial support from insurance companies, their families have been very supportive and they look forward to the example they will be able to set for other queer couples and the world at large.

“We as two South Asian men are going to build this family and we are going to build it the best way we can. I think showing that to the world will show once again that there are no restrictions: we lack nothing here in this marriage or in this life," Shah said.

Family culturally very important says Amit

Aditya told People: “We hope that having a baby normalizes it even more, that it doesn't matter if they are a same-sex couple, they can lead the life they want. I want this to be a guide for those who are trying because many have married after us and have come to us thanking us because they figured out how to convince their parents and families because of us. So this could also help."

"The community and people from all over the world made our wedding a big deal, and at the time we didn't really think that what we were doing was anything out of the ordinary, at least for us, right?" Amit says. "But that marriage story has helped so many people with their travels in whatever capacity, and with this, it's another way of saying 'Look, we're living a 'normal life.'"

Noting that starting a family is culturally very important, Amit continues, "We as two South Asian men are going to build this family and we're going to build it the best way we can."

"I think showing that to the world will show once again that there are no restrictions, that we lack nothing here in this marriage or in this life."

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