How To Become Parents As An LGBTQ+ Couple
However you identify regarding your sexuality, the instinct to have children is something that many people feel. In the past, this might not have been something same sex-couples or those who identify as transgender might have been able to do, but today there are many options, and if you want to become parents, there should be a solution for you. Read on to find out more.
Third-Party Reproduction
One option to consider is third-party reproduction. Third-party reproduction means that a third party will provide either the sperm, egg, or womb. A surrogate is a great example, as is a sperm donor.
Who provides what will depend on the couple in question and what they require to create a life. It will also depend on what kind of relationship the couple wants the third party to have with the child. If they want them to be involved in some way, then choosing a friend or family member could be an ideal solution. If they want the donor to have no involvement at all, then the entire thing can be done anonymously. Think carefully about the future and what you want, not just for you but for your baby, before you make a final decision about which direction to go in.
Fostering
Fostering is another great option that will allow LGBTQ+ couples to become parents, although in this case, it will be on a temporary basis. Unlike adoption, when you foster a child from an agency, you will only be taking care of them for a certain period of time. This might be short-term, such as for a few days, or it could be much longer and could last for many years.
Whether you are interested in fostering babies, older children, or teenagers, there are many who need your help. As a foster parent, you can ensure that many young people who might otherwise have had very hard lives have some love and affection and a safe place to grow.
Adoption
An alternative to this if neither of the couple wants to or is able to carry a child, and you don’t like the idea of a surrogate mother, is to adopt. Of course, there will be many legal requirements to get through, and there are lots of checks that will be carried out. The process is highly intrusive and not something many find to be comfortable. However, when you consider that the people carrying out these checks simply want to ensure that your home is safe for a child, and that you would make good parents, and that the result is your own child to care for, it’s often something that is well worth going through.
When you adopt a child, all parental rights and responsibilities will come to you, so although you might not be their biological mother or father, and although your partner might also not be biologically responsible for the child, you will still be their parents and can raise the child as such.
