Whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved.” —Charles Darwin, On the Origin of Species
My new book, due out in April, tackles the subject of evolution from the perspective of modern family and reproductive science. In 2012, I chose to begin a family as a single mother by choice. Since my son was born, my interest in new family forms has grown, which led me to search for pioneers in reproductive science and the different permutations of families that this science is making possible.
Just as we must now ask vital questions about the uses of technology and its consequences for our mental health, our impact on climate change, and the systems we’ve created that have caused racial, gender, and sexual exclusion, we must also reconsider the responsible uses of reproductive technologies and diverse new family forms. In Reconceptions, I share intimate stories from families and scientists that reveal the bleeding edge of society’s evolution of the modern family, and lessons that could inspire a radical rethinking of community support and attitudes toward family life.
I’m so grateful to everyone who supported Alexander and me and cheered me on to get this story over the finish line. To encourage pre-orders, I’m offering a free sample chapter of the book if you sign up for my newsletter, The Art and Science of Family. (Go back to the homepage, and add your email in the box right up the book)