Gay Men Who Become Fathers via Surrogacy: The Transition to Parenthood

Abstract

The current investigation explores how gay fathers who become parents through gestational surrogacy experience the transition to parenthood. Structured interviews were conducted with one of the partners in 40 couples that had conceived children via surrogacy. The interviews consisted of closed-and open-ended questions examining changes in fathers' careers; lifestyles; couple relationships; relations with family of origin; friendships; self-esteem; and self-care.Thematic and quantitative analyses of the data were employed. The most striking psychological findings were that fathers reported greater closeness with their families of origin and heightened selfesteem as a result of becoming parents and raising children.

Law and LGBQ-Parent Families

“…Another avenue for future research is the question of how the law exacerbates inequalities among LGBQ individuals that stem from class, race, and gender. For instance, many researchers note the high cost involved in hiring lawyers or executing legal documents for LGBQ parents such that those without the economic resources to do so are all the more disadvantaged (Bergman et al 2010;Berkowitz and Marsiglio 2007;Boggis 2001;Dalton 2001;Kazyak 2015). Additionally, understanding how parents communicate about the law with others (including their children and family members of origin or friends) is another question future research can ask.…”

“…This example illustrates that the varied legal context affects decision-making about how to become parents for sexual minorities. Other work also shows that gay men who choose surrogacy must navigate a complex legal context and often rely on an agency that can help them to execute the necessary legal documents (Berkowitz 2013;Bergman et al 2010).…”

Arreglos Parentales de Varones Gay en la Ciudad de México: De la paternidad Negada a la Transformación Inadvertida del Cuidado

“…Por último, es posible realizar la subrogación de un útero como otro medio para acceder a los hijos (Bergman et al, 2010). En ese caso los varones van a un lugar que permita la subrogación de úteros, que haya legislación que otorgue certeza jurídica al proceso y que además se reconozca la paternidad de infantes por parejas del mismo sexo.…”

Families of non-heterosexual people with children - among old answers and new questions

“…Berkowitz, conducting a review of the available studies, pointed out that up until 2013 there were only two empirical studies devoted to the issue of fatherhood of gay men who become parents with the help of surrogates. In one of these studies researchers investigated 40 gay male couples who raised children together, while in the other one, 15 men who were in the process of trying for a baby using surrogacy were examined (Bergman, Rubio, Green and Padrón 2010;Greenfeld andSeli 2011, for: Berkowitz 2013: 73). The studies conducted so far yield insight into various experiences of gay couples, such as changes in individuals' sense of identity and self-esteem after becoming parents, relations with families of origin or into strategies of balancing work and family (e.g., Bergman, Rubio, Green and Padrón 2010;Richardson, Moyer and Goldberg 2012).…”

“…In one of these studies researchers investigated 40 gay male couples who raised children together, while in the other one, 15 men who were in the process of trying for a baby using surrogacy were examined (Bergman, Rubio, Green and Padrón 2010;Greenfeld andSeli 2011, for: Berkowitz 2013: 73). The studies conducted so far yield insight into various experiences of gay couples, such as changes in individuals' sense of identity and self-esteem after becoming parents, relations with families of origin or into strategies of balancing work and family (e.g., Bergman, Rubio, Green and Padrón 2010;Richardson, Moyer and Goldberg 2012). However, the existing criteria for creating research groups can signifi cantly limit the possibility of fi nding families in which non-heterosexual men perform the parental function.…”