Seeking a new podcast for your daily commute? A podcast based in the Valley is covering all things parenting, but from a queer perspective. Loud & Proud Mamas is a parenting podcast featuring Laura and Justine, two queer moms who are married, but not to each other.
Justine explains the podcast is “mostly a slice-of-life, comedy/parenting podcast with a queer-mom angle to it.” They also feature segments like “Pro Tips from Amateur Moms,” “My Horrible Poop Moment of the Day,” “My Awkward Moment of the Day” and book and movie reviews. So far, the episode about Laura’s birth story is the most popular episode.
Laura and Justine have known each other since early 2025. “Our kids are relatively close in age, so we were in the same group and Laura clocked me immediately as a fellow queer mom. We struck up a friendship, and from there, Laura mentioned at one point that she was interested in doing a podcast,” Justine says. She adds that she had some experience working on another podcast so that helped get the new one going. They published their first episode in November 2025 and have since aired 16 episodes.
When it comes to queer parenting, there can be some misconceptions from cisgender straight people. Both Justine and Laura found that most of these came from misunderstandings about conception between queer parents. In Laura’s experience, most assumed that they would be using a surrogate. Justine was surprised by the amount of people who assumed that all fertility treatments were IVF (in vitro fertilization). People often asked her about what her experience with IVF was like, and she would have to explain that she used intrauterine insemination, IUI, which is a lesser-known procedure. Laura adds, “I was also shocked by the number of people who asked if we were each going to carry a baby at the same time. Trust me—one pregnant woman in the house at a time is definitely enough!”
For first-time queer parents, Laura says that relying on friends and family and available resources is really important. “There are some wonderful children’s books about queer families and donor-conceived children that can help explain these concepts in an age-appropriate way. For us, it’s very important to keep things normalized and transparent. We never want to hide how our daughter was created or the fact that our family might look a little different from others, and that it’s completely OK that way!” she says.
Both Laura and Justine emphasize that though their families may have a different dynamic in some ways, they are still just parents like everyone else. The more it is normalized that families can look different, the better things become for everyone. Laura says, “Kids are naturally curious, and these conversations don’t have to be complicated. They can be simple, honest, and matter of fact.”
The love of being a parent is something that these two are aligned upon. Justine says that the best feeling in the world is hearing her son’s laugh. She explains that “It’s wonderful, every moment. Even the screaming, crying, tantrums and stress; I would not trade it for the world. I love my family.” Laura adds that watching her daughter grow up is an absolute gift, saying, “It’s such a privilege to be part of her world and to experience life through her eyes. Everything is still new and exciting to her, and there’s something really special about getting to witness that.”
Parenting is also a full-time job that can be exhausting. Justine says that it’s important for first-time parents to “Expect that you will need breaks and accept that it is normal and good and try to plan for it, if possible, so you are not scrambling to take a break when things are at a crisis point.” She also says that having a hobby, like the podcast, is vital to being a good mom. “As a mom/wife/full-time employee, it’s really important for my own mental health to have a hobby or project that does not benefit my family in any way,” she adds.
The podcast is released on a “when-we-get-to-it” schedule, since they are both moms of toddlers and have extremely busy lives. It can be found on Spotify and Amazon Music. They can also be found on Instagram, @loudproudmamas. Laura hopes that listeners will find some comfort in the podcast, and says, “At the end of the day, we hope the podcast helps people feel a little less alone. Whether you’re a queer parent, a new parent, or just someone trying to navigate the chaos of raising tiny humans, we want listeners to feel like they’re sitting down with friends who get it.”