Meet Kristin Liam Kali Licensed Midwife Kristin Liam Kali (they/them) has dedicated their career to improving the lives of LGBTQ+ families having babies. Over the past 25 years, Liam’s work has touched countless queer and trans parents, both in private practice as a health care provider and as a strong advocate within the childbirth professions, where Liam has pushed the needle forward towards gender inclusivity in perinatal care. Liam is a skilled clinician who utilizes an integrated approach, providing fertility care while nurturing the emotional and relational aspects of the transition to parenthood. Liam’s expertise is widely accessible in their book, Queer Conception: The Complete Fertility Guide for Queer and Trans Parents-to-Be. How did you decide to do the work that you do? I became a midwife because the experience of pregnancy and childbirth are so pivotal in a person’s life, and I wanted to do work that felt truly meaningful. And as a queer midwife, I decided to focus on fertility and preconception care because that is where pregnancy begins for most members of my community, and we are sorely underserved in conventional clinic environments. What are you most proud of in your work? I am most proud of the relationships that are formed among clients my practice. These relationships become a lifelong source of community and support for the families I serve. What is a challenge you have overcome in your work? Or, what is the biggest challenge you are currently facing in your work? It is both a blessing and a challenge to function as a business owner as well as a clinician. However, what continues to be most challenging is the disparagement I experience within a professional community that does not value the needs of queer and transgender individuals. What do you wish people knew about fertility and reproductive health? I wish conceiving families knew that standardized approaches to timing IUI are often wrong, and that in-home IUI is safe, effective and increasingly available in many communities. Is there anything happening in the reproductive health field that you're especially excited about? I’m excited about my new book, Queer Conception: The Complete Fertility Guide for Queer and Trans Parents-to-be! I’m thrilled to offer it as a thorough, evidence-based, accessible resource for those navigating becoming a parent via assisted reproductive techniques. Who inspires you in this field? I am inspired by the work of Juno Obedin-Maliver, MD who is producing qualitative research around transgender pregnancy to inform the practice of obstetrics and associated childbirth professions. What are you working on next? I will soon begin work on my next book, tentatively titled Transition to Parenthood: A Gender-Inclusive Guide to Pregnancy, Birth and the Fourth Trimester. Want to meet some more Changemakers? Read on here.
