Colton Underwood is an American TV personality, executive producer, philanthropist, and entrepreneur. He is also a former NFL player and a New York Times Best Seller. Colton is the founder of The Colton Underwood Legacy Foundation. Before he was The Bachelor, and prior to his public coming out, he dreamed of having a family. When it was finally time to start the process of having children, he encountered unexpected obstacles related to fertility.
In the last year, Colton launched his podcast "Daddyhood.” He sought to create a platform that explored the complexities of fertility for same-sex couples. He planned to discuss the intricacies of preparing for parenthood as a queer couple, including decisions about surrogates, egg donors, and adoption. Additionally, Colton wanted to speak to the progress being made and the ongoing work needed to create a more inclusive society for LGBTQ+ families. His approach is meant to be personal but also deeply empathetic. He aims to facilitate open conversations with professionals, friends, and soon-to-be parents who have shared similar experiences and are managing the challenges and joys of parenthood.
The "Daddyhood" podcast arrives at a time when Colton continues to lead crucial conversations about mental health through his foundation, which has done significant work for student-athletes and parents to gain access to the mental health resources they need. When Colton embarked on his journey to parenthood, he found that there were many questions he couldn't source answers for related to fertility and family-making for LGBTQ+ families. He realized that the fertility issues he faced were affecting his mental health, and these feelings of isolation have likely been impacting many people trying to start a family.
Through discussions with medical professionals and peers, he became aware of the lack of honesty and shame many men experience during this process. From there, he knew he could use his platform to work towards demystifying the reproductive process that millions of families across the country experience.
He partnered with Family Equality to launch the Daddyhood podcast, aiming to provide transparency into his and his husband's journey and gain insightful advice from experts. Through Daddyhood, Colton also aspires to empower LGBTQ+ families and raise awareness of the options available for welcoming a new life into the world. The podcast is released weekly and is wrapping up Season 1, focusing on fertility and the IVF process. Season 2 will explore parenthood and their approach to raising a child, as he and his husband are expecting their first child in the Fall.
In the short time since the podcast launched, Colton and the team have accomplished many of their key objectives. He has interviewed celebrity figures such as Jesse Tyler Ferguson and expecting digital creators Jaci Marie Smith and Francesca Farago. He has spoken to a number of wellness specialists and accomplished medical experts, including Dr. Brian Levine and Khaled Kteily.
The Daddyhood Podcast has received high ratings on Apple Podcasts in its first few episodes. It has also gained almost 100,000 followers on Instagram. Colton was featured in People magazine, Parents.com, Romper, and the TODAY show, where he discussed the making of the podcast and his passion for parenting, mental health, and candid conversations.
