Seeing a gay couple parenting a child these days isn’t as uncommon as one tends to think. As the world changes, laws are also being changed and established and gay and lesbian couples are finally being granted the support they need when it comes to expanding their family with the addition of a child. The route each couple takes when it comes to bringing a child into the family greatly depends on what is best for each individual couple.
For Lesbians, many couples tend to bring a child into their relationship by means of artificial insemination, which is the process in which a woman is inseminated with the sperm of a predetermined donor. The other partner, the one not carrying the child, becomes a legal parent through second parent or stepparent laws, depending on the state’s policy on homosexual couples and their legal rights to adopt children.
Gay couples sometimes use artificial insemination, along with surrogacy as a means of bringing a child into their relationship. One of the partners will use their sperm to artificially inseminate a surrogate mother, who will carry the child to term for the gay couple. A donor egg is sometimes used or the surrogate mother may use her own egg. Details such as this must be worked out ahead of time, to ensure the process of bringing a child into the family goes as smooth as possible. The partner who donates the sperm is genetically the child’s father. Just like the lesbian couple scenario described above, the other partner then becomes a legal parent of the child through second parent or stepparent laws, depending on the laws of the state in which the couple resides.
Joint adoption is another option that some homosexual couples turn to as a means of bringing a child into their relationship, whether it is a gay couple, or a lesbian couple involved in the process. Some states prohibit homosexual couples from adopting and in this case, homosexual couples may elect to use a surrogate mother or artificial insemination as their only options available. Some states, however, do allow same sex couples to adopt, giving these couples the opportunity to become legal parents together and from the very beginning. In states that allow such, same sex couples may adopt a child through an agency, and independent adoption, or by means of one of the many international adoption agencies for less fortunate children.
Whether you are involved in a gay or lesbian relationship, there are at least a few options to look into when considering the act of bringing a child into your relationship. It may seem quite difficult and sometimes impossible at the beginning stages, but take a deep breath and work your way through it, as the end result is quite rewarding, and will continue to reward you for years to come.
