Gay and Lesbian 
   Parenthood

 
 
 

HOME

WHO WE ARE

TYPES OF FAMILIES

PARENTING OPTIONS

CROSS-CULTURAL

U.S. TRANSITIONS

INTERVIEWS

LINKS

REFERENCES
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 There are many different types of families within our society, however all of them unite under universal concepts of parenthood. All parents want to nurture healthy children who can adjust to their world. The experience of gay and lesbian parents is no different. Throughout our website we explore general parenting themes that prevail across all social differences. We look at the historical changes of families, provide a cross-cultural perspective on parenting, and examine the modern-day American transition to parenthood. We ultimately arrive at options for alternative families, including adoption, artificial insemination, and surrogacy.

Gay and lesbian individuals have become increasingly visible in the United States over the past 20 years. They bring a presence to society that challenges a long and mainstream conception of the traditional family. We want to dispel the homophobic misunderstandings that perpetuate a negative stereotype of gay and lesbian couples. We presume a supportive stance as gay adolescents prepare to take on parenting roles. 

We appreciate the delicate subject we discuss here. The four authors of this website have an extensive knowledge of human development and family studies. Each of us has received our comprehensive education at the Pennsylvania State University, a leader in the field of human research. We combine for over 14 years of studied experience. Here for the first time we join in a common effort to foster an overall understanding of a very unique transition into the realm of parenthood.