Althoughlegalsame-sexmarriagerightsremainrare，scoresofnations，startingwithDenmarkin1989，aswellasmanystates，provincesandcitiesaroundtheglobehaverecognizedsame-sexcouplesthroughdomesticpartnershipsorcivilunions.ThesteadilyexpandingranksofsuchnationsnowincludealmostallofWesternEuropeaswellasSlovenia，Croatia，Andorra，Israel，NewZealand，IcelandandGreenland，andlikelysoonevenconservativeCatholicIreland.Likewise，same-sexcouplesnowenjoysomelegalstatusinlocalesasdiverseasTasmania，BuenosAires，andtheBrazilianstateofRioGrandedoSul，andsimilarproposalshavebeenintroducedinlocalitiesfromTaipeitoCaracas.Heretoo，U.S.policyremainsdeeplydividedandcontradictory.Currentlysixofthefiftystatesgrantdifferinglevelsofbenefitstosame-sexcouples，andseveralothersareactivelyconsideringsuchproposals，butatthesametimeseveralstatesareattemptingtoimposebansonanyformofrecognitionorbenefitstosame-sexcouples.OnecansafelypredictthatlegislativeandjudicialstrugglesoverthelegalstatusandrightsofgayandlesbiancoupleswillcontinueintheU.S.andinternationallyintothelongforeseeablefuture.
Althoughtheglobalmarchtowardlegalizingsame-sexcouplerelationshipshascapturedthecenterfoldofmediaattention，inmyviewtheadventofplannedlesbianandgayparentingrepresentsafarmoreinnovativeandconsequentialdomainofcontemporaryfamilytransformation.Throughouthistory，peoplewithclosetedhomosexualdesiresandrelationshipshavebeenparents，butuntilveryrecently，therewasnosuchthingasopenlylesbianorgayparenthood.Infact，parentsintheWestwhointhe1960sandearly1970sbegantocomeoutoftheclosetandidentifythemselvesaslesbiansandgaymenroutinelylostcustodyofthechildrentheyhadconceivedwithintheirheterosexualmarriages.Likewise，childlessadultsgenerallypresumedthattoacceptalesbianorgayidentitymeanttorelinquishtheprospectofparenthood.Merelythreedecadesago，thenotionofagayparentseemedoxymoronic.
Thus，theWestern“Agaybyboom”ofthelate20thcenturycaughtmostfamilyscholars，lawyers，citizens，andevengayactivistsunawares.Beginningslowlyinthe1970sandgrowingexponentiallysincethe1980s，self-identifiedlesbiansintheU.S.andafewotherWesternadvancedindustrialsocietiesstartedtoactivelychooseparenthoodthroughsuchmeansasdonorinsemination（DI），domesticandinternationaladoption，oreveninstrumentalparticipationinheterosexualintercourse.Theyhavedonesoassingleparents，incouples，andinavarietyofcreative，cooperativearrangementswithfriends，relatives，andgaymen.Perhapsadecadeafterthelesbiangaybyboom，smallernumbersofgaymenfollowedtheirlead，seekingparenthoodprimarilythroughadoption，fostercare，andco-parentingarrangementswithwomen，orinevensmallernumbersbynegotiatingwithpaidandvolunteersurrogatestobearchildrenconceivedwiththeirsperm.
Inmyview，theemergenceoflesbianandgayplannedparenthoodrepresentsagenuinefamilyrevolutionandepitomizesthecharacterofthepostmodernfamilycondition.Openlylesbianandgaymenwhochooseparenthoodmakestarklyvisibletheworldhistoricreconfigurationoftherelationshipbetweensexualityandthefamilythathasbeentakingplaceintheeraofglobalization.Theychallengeandmultiplyconventionaldefinitionsofmother，father，andparentaswellastraditionalrelationshipsbetweensexuality，gender，marriage，procreation，andparenting.SomelesbiansandgaymenexperimentwithvanguardpossibilitiesofAssistedReproductiveTechnology（ART），suchaslesbianswhoexchangeovatoseparateandrecombinegestationalandgeneticdefinitionsofmotherhood，orgaymalecoupleswhotaketurnsinseminatingeggsfromthesamedonorsothatchildrenborntothemthroughsurrogacywillbegenetichalf-siblings.Becausehiredsurrogacyissorestricted，expensive，anddifficult，however，mostgaymenwhoseekparenthoodintheUSAadopttheirchildren，andthechildrenavailabletothemaremorelikelytobefromdifferentracial，ethnic，ornationaloriginsthanistrueforotheradoptiveparents.Heretoo，gayparentingchallengesconventionalexpectationsoffamilyhomogeneity.
Initiallylesbiansandgaymenpursuedtheirquestforparenthoodwithoutanylegalrecognitionorprotectionandagainstenormoussocialbarriers.Justasgayandlesbiancouplesbegantoseeklegalstatusfortheirunions，lesbianandgayparentsarestrugglingtogainaccesstoparenthoodandtolegallyprotecttheirchildrenandthenewformsoffamilytheyhavecreated.PrincipalgoalsincludeaccesstoART，todomesticandinternationaladoption，andtocustodyrightsfornon-biologicalco-parents.Althoughgaysandlesbianshaveachievedsomesignificantvictories，internationalprogressinthequestforlegalparentstatusisslowerandevenmoreuneventhanforcouplerecognition.Evenamongadvancedindustrialsocieties，veryfewnationsyetgrantequalparentingrightstogaysandlesbians，whileamajoritystillmaintaindiscriminatoryfertility，adoption，andcustodylaws.Gaymensufferevengreaterhandicapsthanlesbians，andnotonlybecauseofbiology.Mostnationsthatallowinternationaladoptionsrestricteligibilityto（heterosexual）marriedcouples，andveryfewoftheminority，likeChina，thatacceptapplicationsfromsinglewomenalsoallowsinglementoapply.