Love, Resilience, and Parenthood: The Journey of Bret Shuford and Stephen Hanna aka The Broadway Husbands

Redefining Family

In this episode of "Redefining Family," Jonathan sits down with the Broadway Husbands, Bret Shuford and Stephen Hanna, to delve into their journey of love, identity, and parenthood.

Bret opens up about growing up in Texas with three brothers, one of whom had special needs. Feeling pressure to compensate for what his brother couldn't fulfill, Bret struggled with acceptance for being different. Despite his mother's resistance to his sexuality, Bret came to terms with being gay at the age of 12. He shares his experience of hiding his true self and ultimately cutting ties with his brothers and their wives after the birth of his son in 2022.

Stephen shares his own story of adversity, recounting the bullying he faced from a young age. Leaving home at 12 to attend the American School of Ballet in New York City, he grappled with emotional unavailability before coming out to his mother at 23. Though initially met with resistance, Stephen's mother eventually embraced his truth.

The couple reflects on their journey to sobriety, having met in AA rooms, and their decision to become parents. After facing setbacks with a surrogate pulling out in 2019, they found hope when a mutual friend offered to carry their baby. Despite a heartbreaking miscarriage, their perseverance led to the successful birth of their son in 2022.

As gay parents, Bret and Stephen share the profound lessons they've learned along the way, highlighting the resilience, love, and strength that define their unique family. Their story serves as a testament to the power of perseverance and the redefinition of traditional notions of family.