Tom Daley hits back at surrogacy critics: I don’t care what they say, I’m going to be a dad

Tom Daley has responded to critics of his impending fatherhood with husband Dustin Lance Black.

The 23-year-old Olympic diver has been pilloried in the UK’s right-wing press after announcing plans to have a baby via surrogate.

Tabloid columnists insisted it was “not normal” for two men to have a baby, while others claimed the pair were “exploiting” a woman to have a child – though the pair have since shared details about their surrogacy arrangement that rubbished most of the claims.

Speaking to the Times today, Daley opened up about what it was like to be attacked just for wanting to be a father.

Tom Daley (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)

He said: “We have an egg donor and a surrogate and we feel very lucky.

“I am able to live my life without worrying what people think. People say whatever they say. I get tons [of abuse] every day, but at the end of the day, I’m married with a kid on the way and I don’t care what anyone says.

“I don’t care if they don’t like it. It took me a long time to get to that place but I am here. I think, ‘Whatever.'”

Speaking about how impending fatherhood has impacted him, Daley added: “It has changed me. Even flying out on the plane I am normally fine with turbulence and just fall asleep, but now I’m thinking, ‘It’s not just me.’

“Holy crap, I have to worry about looking after a human being and being in charge of making sure they survive and thrive.

“Diving is no longer my number one [concern]. My child is number one and diving is number two and, for me, that order might help.