gay and lesbian

When you are gay, like me, and raising a family, like me, there are a
myriad of issues that we face that are unique to our societal presence
in a predominately straight world.

When married heterosexuals who have children divorce, the parents are automatically presumed to be the legal parents of their children and absent a termination due to unfitness, they retain their rights upon divorce. 

Gay male and lesbian couples typically raise children in three contexts.  The first is where one of the partners is already the biological parent of a child. 

Second parent adoption is the legal term for the second adoption of a biological child or adopted child by a same sex partner. According to law, states have the right to honor or deny second parent adoption.

Gay and lesbian couples may choose surrogacy as an alternative to pregnancy or adoption. Surrogate mothers carry a child with the sole intention of allowing the gay or lesbian couple to adopt the child(ren) after birth.

When Sharon Bottoms lost custody of her two-year-old son in 1993, she was appalled by the decision of the court system.

Before April 15, 2010 – gay and lesbian couples were given no legal rights in a hospital setting.

Finding proper foster parents for the many children living in state custody is an on-going battle.

Change often causes a division between those that are in support of the change, and those that aren't. Gay and lesbian parenting is one such change.

Second parent adoption is the legal term for the second adoption of a biological child or adopted child by a same sex partner. According to law, states have the right to honor or deny second parent adoption.

Growing up with two moms or two dads is not a new concept. For more than 25 years, gay and lesbian couples have been raising children. Society, however, has not embraced the concept until the last 10 years.

Choosing the right obstetrician is important to any pregnant couple however, when the parents are gay or lesbian, certain interview questions may change a bit in order to assure the chosen obstetrician has no problems with parental sexual orientation.

According to Hollywood, gay men act more like women and lesbians act more like men. This, of course, is both improbable and unjustified. There are plenty of “manly” men who are gay and “lady-like” women who are lesbians.ocieties view of gays and lesbians can bring about questions regarding child gender choice in adoption.

Gay communities tend to offer support and advice for gay holidays, family outings and gay-friendly hotels and destinations.

In the past 10 to 15 years, gay couples have gradually become a
significant part of the foster care and adoption system. At first,
lesbians were the only gay parents to adopt, but gay men soon started
easing social workers into the idea that gay men can be parents too.

Having a child when you are gay or lesbian can pose some different and difficult questions. Below are common topics discussed between gay or lesbian couples with regard to conceiving and parenting a child.