In a continuation from our story back in 2021 featuring Jess Stubbs, Senior Director of Customer Experience Operations at Comcast Advertising, in which we shared her journey of adopting her daughter, Wilder, with her wife Abby. Here’s an update on this growing family as they have recently welcomed Rio in 2022 (read the original story here).
Opening up about her experience, Jess shared her initial attempts to conceive through intrauterine insemination, which, unfortunately, were unsuccessful. After taking a break, her wife Abby decided to try, and Wilder entered their lives in 2020. With their hearts set on having multiple children, Jess embarked on her IVF journey.
The IVF process was not without challenges, with the first transfer not resulting in pregnancy. Jess remained resilient and underwent a second embryo transfer in April 2021, which was successful and baby Rio was born on February 22, 2022. Yet, even in their moment of triumph, the couple had to complete the same adoption process as Wilder, this time requiring Abby to legally adopt Rio for parental rights and guardianship despite their marital status. Abby’s adoption of Rio was completed on June 6, 2023.
Jess expressed her gratitude for the support she received from her Comcast family. With fertility coverage and parental leave, Jess and Abby could access IVF treatments with ease. Comcast's intentionality in using inclusive language, such as "fertility coverage," was particularly beneficial for same-sex couples like them, who may not be aware of any infertility issues.
“One thing that I always like to emphasize when talking about benefits is how a company categorizes its benefits matters. Our benefits are called fertility coverage, which means that you can take advantage of it without having to prove anything. Other companies call it infertility, and a lot of times, if it's under infertility, you must prove that you haven't been able to get pregnant.
Sometimes that makes it challenging for a couple like Abby and I, where, in the beginning, we didn't know that infertility was the problem. We needed fertility support, so we automatically qualified for Comcast benefits because it is fertility coverage."
As a working parent and an active member of the LGBTQ+ community, Jess lauded the empathetic and inclusive environment fostered by her team. That allowed her to openly address the inequities faced by the LGBTQ+ community and the challenges of infertility one might encounter.
Looking forward, Jess and Abby's vision extends beyond their immediate family. As their daughters grow older, they aspire to provide foster care for older children and offer a temporary and secure home for LGBTQ+ individuals traveling to Minnesota under the Trans Refuge bill. Jess wants to continue raising awareness about infertility struggles and supporting same-sex couples in their quest to build families.
