Andy Cohen Thanks Governor Cuomo After Surrogacy Ban Is Overturned in New York
This is a cause that is close to the Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen host's heart.
Amid his coronavirus (COVID-19) diagnosis and recovery, Andy Cohen is celebrating one headline in the news: New York State's ban on surrogacy is reversed. This is a cause the Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen host has been fighting for, alongside Governor Andrew Cuomo, and is also one that is particularly close to his heart, as Andy used a surrogate in California to carry his son, Benjamin Allen Cohen, born in February 2019.
Andy wrote on Instagram, "THANK YOU GOVERNOR CUOMO! Not only has he brilliantly led NY through this pandemic, because of him tonight the ban on surrogacy in New York will be REVERSED! The passage of the Child-Parent Security Act means thousands of New Yorkers who struggle with infertility, cancer survivors, and LGBTQ will have a chance of a family. It was an honor working on this initiative with the Governor, and thrilling to have some good news in the midst of so much sadness. Thanks to [Family Equality] for helping me lend my voice to this campaign. I ♥️NY."
Back in June, Andy shared an update about his time spent in Albany working to change the laws in New York state to make paid gestational surrogacy legal. He wrote that he "spent the day in Albany lobbying for passage of the #ChildParentSecurityAct... New York is one of 3 states where surrogacy is illegal, which seems draconian... This measure has a groundbreaking Surrogates Bill of Rights that will protect women at all costs, and help infertile women and LGBTQ start families. This is about letting women choose what they want to do with their bodies while giving the ultimate gift to people who need help having children."
He also previously shared with PEOPLE, “I worked with an incredible surrogate. She was in California. Surrogacy is illegal in so many states, including New York. I don’t understand why. It’s a voluntary process, obviously. My surrogate just viewed it as, she was giving me the ultimate gift. She gave me life. So I’ll be forever indebted to her.”
