Become a Surrogate for a Gay Couple: How to Get Started

Key Points:

• Discover how to become a surrogate for a gay couple.
• Learn the steps to working with a gay couple as a surrogate.
• Get started on becoming a surrogate and working with a gay couple by contacting a specialist today.

Intended parents come from a variety of backgrounds. Many LGBT couples who want to experience the joy of parenthood or want to have another child choose surrogacy to grow their family.

If you’re interested in becoming a surrogate for a gay couple, you can start by contacting a surrogacy professional today. They can help you find intended parents who share your surrogacy goals.

Speak with a specialist today!

Surrogacy gives same sex couples the chance to have a child who is biologically linked to them. All intended parents want nothing more than to have a baby of their own, and they will always be grateful for the amazing gift you’re giving them of helping bring their child into the world.

In the meantime, you can learn a bit more about becoming a surrogate for a gay couple below.

Why do LGBT Couples and Individuals Choose Surrogacy?

Like all intended parents, would-be LGBT parents choose surrogacy to bring a child into their lives. But, if you’re considering becoming a surrogate for a gay couple, it’s important that you know a bit of history surrounding gay parenting rights.

For many years, it was illegal for LGBT individuals to adopt a child or even pursue surrogacy. It wasn’t until the marriage equality ruling in 2015 that an LGBT married couple’s right to adopt was federally protected, opening up a new family-building path. That said, there are still many private adoption agencies that prohibit LGBT couples from adopting due to “religious beliefs” — and that’s just in the United States. There are many countries around the world where LGBT hopeful parents are prohibited from adopting, either because gay marriage is illegal or because homosexual relationships themselves are illegal.

For these reasons and more, many LGBT parents make gestational their first choice as a family-building method. Not only are there many states in the U.S. where LGBT-intended parents can safely and legally have a child, gestational surrogacy offers something that adoption can’t — a biological connection. Would-be LGBT parents from across the U.S. and the world frequently come to the States to build their family in a way they can’t back at home.

Why Do Surrogates Carry for LGBT Parents?

Gestational carriers always have a say in the intended parents that they carry for. Knowing that, some people ask, “Why are some women so interested in becoming a surrogate for gay couples?”

It’s a valid questions to ask. Every gestational carrier has her own reasons for pursuing surrogacy with certain intended parents, but there are a few major reasons why gestational carriers offer their services to LGBT intended parents:

• They know male gay couples can’t have a child by themselves. Simply by biology, a gay male couple cannot have a genetically related child. Heterosexual couples, on the other hand, can use natural reproduction and assisted reproduction to bring a biological child into the world. Many surrogates choose male LGBT couples because they know a third party in necessary to help that couple become parents. And it’s not just male couples who choose surrogacy; other members of the LGBT community choose gestational surrogacy due to infertility or other reasons, knowing that surrogacy is the only way to have a biologically related child.
• They recognize the difficult path LGBT intended parents have. While progressive attitudes toward LGBT rights are increasingly the norm, there are still many LGBT individuals who experience prejudice and discrimination long before they even get ready to start a family. LGBT intended parents may come from an area of the world where homosexuality is illegal or somewhere they can’t legally get married, and some surrogates want to make their family-building process as easy as possible.
• They have a personal connection to the issue. Some surrogates have friends or family members who are part of the LGBT community. Seeing the struggles that their loved ones have gone through, some women specifically set out to be surrogates to help others in this community.

How to Become a Surrogate Mother for a Gay Couple

Whatever your personal reason, you may have decided that becoming a surrogate for a gay couple is the right path for you. Now, you are wondering exactly how to become a surrogate mother for a gay couple or other LGBT intended parent in a safe and legal manner.

Every surrogacy is different, but here are a few steps you will need to start with:

1. Find LGBT-friendly professionals.

In order to carry for LGBT intended parents, you need to work with a surrogacy professional that is welcoming of LGBT intended parents in the first place. You’ll likely want to avoid surrogacy agencies with a religious background, and make sure that you always ask the professional about their intended parent qualifications before signing up. Honesty is the best policy; don’t be afraid to state your preferences up front to find the best agency for you (and your future intended parents).

You’ll likely find that all the best LGBT-friendly agencies and professionals are proud of their stance and happy to answer whatever questions you have.

2. Determine your preferences for intended parents.

So, you know that you want to carry for an LGBT couple. Great!

But, there are a few other decisions you’ll need to make to find the perfect surrogacy match for you. Your surrogacy professional will likely guide you through this process, but you’ll need to ask yourself questions like:

• Do I want to work with a couple or a single parent?
• Do I want to work with local intended parents, or am I comfortable with a long-distance match?
• Do I have preferences for family makeup (for example, whether they already have children)?
• What kind of relationship do I want to share with the intended parents during and after the surrogacy?

All of these questions will help you locate the perfect surrogacy match for your situation.

3. Complete the surrogacy process.

Once you have found the right intended parents, you will move forward with your surrogacy journey. This will involve creating a legal contract, undergoing the medical process of embryo transfer and eventually giving birth to the intended parents’ baby. Your surrogacy professional should be there to support you every step of the way.

Many aspects of becoming a surrogate for a gay couple are the same as becoming a surrogate for a heterosexual couple, but there are a few major differences. A sperm or egg donation will be required to complete the intended parents’ embryo, but this will often not affect you unless you are a traditional surrogate (which is uncommon today). Depending on state laws, there may be extra required steps to establish the intended parents’ rights after birth, but your lawyer will make sure you are aware of them before starting.

Becoming a surrogate is a great opportunity to help a gay couple have a child that they share a genetic connection with, that they may not have bene able to have otherwise. To get more information about being a surrogate for an LGBT couple, reach out to a surrogacy professional today.