Society’s views on what makes a family a family are rapidly changing. In the past several years, there has been a major shift with men opting to be dads; both as a single father and with a significant other. And, while gay couples have always formed family units, real numbers have historically been difficult to come by due to underreporting. Thankfully, the legalization of gay marriage now allows these relationships and family units to be officially recognized, and with this, greater numbers of men are choosing to become fathers as well, with the help of surrogates.

Society Has Come Far

While it’s still difficult to identify how much of an increase is occurring, surrogacy agencies and fertility clinics are all reporting the same thing: more gay men are becoming dads. In a recent Detroit News report, assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, Dr. Eve Feinberg confirmed the upswing. “As gay marriage has become legal, I think it’s become much more socially acceptable for men to pursue fertility treatments and have babies.” Whereas gay men have previously wanted to start families of their own, troublesome regulations and discrimination still stood as barriers. Some states would recognize a single man’s right to adopt, but agencies would shy away from assisting men when they knew of their sexual orientation. Even being aware of the discrimination was enough to prevent many hopeful fathers from pursuing their dreams.

We Still Have Room to Grow

The increase in gay men seeking surrogates is bittersweet. On the one hand, it demonstrates what we’ve known all along; men are genuine nurturers and make highly-capable fathers, no matter what their orientation is. However, the increase is also bringing to light just how far behind some states are in terms of protecting the rights of dads. For example, one couple highlighted in the Detroit News article says their first surrogate changed her mind after finding out that her church would not support her surrogacy because the men were gay. California, however, is a wonderfully progressive state that not only recognizes the rights of gay men to parent, but has enacted specific legislation to protect families from the lacking laws of other states. Given time, the rest of the country will hopefully catch on and adopt laws similar to California’s. In the meantime, it’s clear that surrogates are playing an integral role in the path to fatherhood for many men, and it’s a trend that’s expected to grow.

Surrogates Can Help You Grow Your Family

If you’ve been considering growing your family with the help of surrogates, you owe it to yourself to learn your options and find out how California laws will protect your rights. SPS is a comprehensive surrogacy agency that supports intended parents and surrogates through the process and ensures the journey is smooth for all. For more information about the services we provide, contact us today.