Gay dads and their kids: 21 photos for Father's Day

Contents:

• FOR GAY MEN, HAVG A BLOGIL CHILD N BE PLITED
• MY HBAND IS GAY BUT WE’RE MARRIED WH TWO KIDS AND HAVE GREAT SEX
• ‘A FAY LIKE OURS’: PORTRAS OF GAY FATHERHOOD
• AFTER ORLANDO, 21 PHOTOS OF GAY DADS AND THEIR KIDS TO HELP YOU SE AGA
• MORE GAY MEN "MARRIED WH CHILDREN"
• I’M 43 – BUT I’M MA TO FEEL LIKE A DOSR BY YOUNGER GAY MEN
• GAY PARENTS RAISG KIDS: HOW WILL THEY FARE?
• IS YOUR CHILD GAY?
• WHEN DO GAY KIDS START “ACTG GAY”?
• SAN FRANCIS GAY MEN'S CHOS FAC BACKLASH FOR 'WE'RE G FOR YOUR CHILDREN' VIO
• ‘IT’S MY FLORIDA TOO’: PULSE SHOOTG SURVIVOR BRANDON WOLF ON BEG BLACK, GAY AND THE ANTI-RON DESANTIS

FOR GAY MEN, HAVG A BLOGIL CHILD N BE PLITED

Our Missn: To spire, rm and gui gay, bi and trans men throughout their journey of fay buildg, and then to support the dads to live their bt thentic liv while navigatg fatherhood. The procs tak about two years and sts around $200, 000 per child - and prospective gay fathers don't meet eligibily creria for most health surance plans' fertily benefs, although this is begng to change.

MY HBAND IS GAY BUT WE’RE MARRIED WH TWO KIDS AND HAVE GREAT SEX

Brent Monsr, MD, recently helped lead a study to document tails of how gay men e assisted reproductive technology to build their fai, cludg qutns such as how many children they wish to have and how often their efforts succeed. Cisgenr gay men are almost never clud this rearch, so as physicians we don't know anythg about their characteristics as reproductive health patients, even basic rmatn such as their mographics, clil cisn-makg patterns or out. It's important to keep md that our data reflect the experienc of dividuals who n afford reproductive medil re bee their employer-sponsored fertily benefs ver , and that is still an unual suatn for gay men.

This data served as the foundatn for a grant applitn we've jt had approved to nduct a much larger populatn study that will give accs to rmatn on about 2, 000 embryo transfers annually gay men. A lot of people see a fertily doctor bee they have an unrlyg medil issue, whereas gay male upl ually have two possible sperm sourc, a young egg donor and a gtatnal rrier who has already had succsful pregnanci.

‘A FAY LIKE OURS’: PORTRAS OF GAY FATHERHOOD

We regnize that this may be bee a lot of gay men requt tws or may ultimately want two children, and fertily doctors may be transferrg two embryos to try to save their patients money so they only have to go through the fertily treatment procs once. “For gay male sgl/upl, we have particularly easier the matchg procs, as there is no other mom 'replacg' the child’s birth mother and often get chosen quicker. Celebri like Anrson Cooper have helped normalize the ia of gay men raisg children, and no longer feels revelatory to see them on televisn, as did when “Morn Fay” premiered mon, Mr.

Heynen said, but rather a celebratn of the day-to-day liv of gay Jt for the YoungCly Rose, 61, and Ryan, 12Cly Rose, who liv Manhattan, was first photographed for “Dads” three years ago after meetg Mr. Heynen “a lot of cred” for cludg a father like him — a sgle dad his 60s — sce he said there is often a lack of reprentatn of olr gay people art and media, which tends to foc on young, f men.

After Orlando, 21 photos of gay dads and their kids to help you se agaThe Father's Day photos of gay dads and their fai show that love all 17, 2016, 9:47 PM UTC / Source: TODAYIt tak a special kd of mment for gay men to bee parents, which is one reason they serve to be celebrated this Father's Day. What's more, many gay upl adopt om the foster re system, helpg hard-to-place kids fd permanent honor the voted dads — and provi some uplift after the tragedy Orlando — we've llected 21 photos of thrivg fai om the webse Gays Wh Kids. The dads span the globe and show that love all if you really want to pull out the tissu, check out Gays Wh Kids' seri "Then and Now" about how some of the fai me to be!

AFTER ORLANDO, 21 PHOTOS OF GAY DADS AND THEIR KIDS TO HELP YOU SE AGA

Matthew and Harold wh Randall, Jeremy and Mattie Newton, Wh and John wh Julianne and Jack New York Wh KidsRELATED: My Two Dads: Gay Fathers Have Much to and Brian wh Trenton San Pablo, Wh and Patrick wh Lorenzo, Liam, Lily and Leo Wh Kids7. In honor of June’s LGBTQ Pri month, here are 28 photos of kids at Pri Naharro Gimenez via Getty ImagA child wh her father tak part the Gay Pri para Madrid on July 5, 2014 Madrid, Spa.

(Photo by Michael Nagle/Getty Imag)Dondi Tawatao via Getty ImagA boy plays unr a rabow flag durg the Manila Gay Pri march on December 8, 2012 Makati, Philipp. AFP PHOTO / YASUYOSHI CHIBAALEJANDRO PAGNI via Getty ImagA girl holds a rabow flag of the LGBT movement durg the XXI Gay Pri para at Mayo Square Buenos Air on November 10, 2012. (Photo by Roberto Machado Noa/LightRocket via Getty Imag)TIZIANA FABI via Getty ImagA young girl sportg rabow lours tak part the annual Gay Pri para Rome on June 7, 2014.

(Photo by Roberto Machado Noa/LightRocket via Getty Imag)Pacific Prs via Getty ImagA Filipo woman ss on a rabow flag wh her child durg a Gay Pri event Quezon Cy, east of Manila, Philipp, 2015.

MORE GAY MEN "MARRIED WH CHILDREN"

(Photo by Rick Friedman/Corbis via Getty Imag)FRANCISCO LEONG via Getty ImagA mother and child play unr a giant rabow flag durg the Gay Pri para downtown Lisbon on June 24, 2006.

(Photo by Tabatha Fireman/Getty Imag)JACK GUEZ via Getty ImagAn Israeli girl ss on a relative's shoulrs wavg the rabow flag, the ternatnal symbol of gay pri, durg the annual Gay Pri para along the streets of Tel Aviv on June 6, 2008. (Photo by Gee Panagakis/Pacific Prs/LightRocket via Getty Imag)NurPhoto via Getty ImagKids are rried over the shoulrs of their parents durg the Annual Gay Pri para Tel Aviv on June 12, 2015. NurPhoto via Getty ImagA child plays unr a giant rabow flag, a symbol of the gay rights movement, as she tak part the 22nd annual Gay Pri para Rome, Italy, on June 11, 2016.

The son of Haian immigrants, Charl was lucky enough to be raised by parents who sensed their son’s gay inty when he was young, and they’ve been supportive of him om the start—perhaps bee of that, no possible route seems to him out of the qutn. "As a gay man who grew up wh no visible role mols of gay relatnships my muny or entertament ntent, I am grateful that this reprentatn is happeng on Nickeloon, moved by the difference that is surely makg the mds and hearts of children, and grateful to have been a part of this slow but important change, " Dickie told PRIDE.

I’M 43 – BUT I’M MA TO FEEL LIKE A DOSR BY YOUNGER GAY MEN

This episo, GWK host David Dodge talks to motivatnal speaker, life ach, podster and gay dad Rick Clemons about how to live an thentic, fulfillg life after g out when you have Rick explas, he me out when his dghters were very young, but no matter how old your kids are, g out as a dad is never easy. Sce then, Rick has turned his experience to an reer as an spiratnal life ach, helpg others his same suatn; gay or bisexual men wh kids who may be stgglg to live their thentic liv.

You n always reach out to GWK at, fd on social media @gays_wh_kids, and be sure to check out GWK Amy, where we help gay, bi and trans men form their fai, at.

GAY PARENTS RAISG KIDS: HOW WILL THEY FARE?

Evan Goldste as New York Cy's "Butt Doctor, " or maybe as the gay dad who appeared a Postmat mercial talkg about the bt foods to eat as a bottom () But performg and discsg anal surgery is jt one of the ways he helps queer men mata their sexual health. Goldste discs everythg gay men wish we had been tght sex ed., like the bt way to douche before anal sex to mata a healthy microbme, how to properly e lube, and how tops n be more nsirate to bottoms.

And he vers how gay men n talk to straight doctors about ttg them fully for STI's, sce anal health is easily overlooked by medil profsnals who don't specialize the gay about how to bee a dad as a gay/bi/trans man at and follow GWK on social media @Gays_wh_kidsThanks to this episo's sponsors, Mosie Baby, fd out more about at-home sematn ks at, Ltle Spoon, go to and enter GWK50 for 50% off your first orr of anic baby, toddler and kid food, and Magic Spoon cereal, go to and e GWK for $5 off your orr. Rearchg LGBTQ+ parents is a very plex task, but thankfully the Williams Instute at UCLA Law School is dog the work to form a more plete picture of the queer parentg muny, who we are, how we're formg our fai, and what supports we episo, host David Dodge talks to Williams Instute Rearch Director Kerh Conron about the reported rat of queer people the US, what is and is not know about gay parents, and why 's important for rearchers to better learn about and our kids.

Cis and straight adoptive and foster parents, and why those numbers matter when to implementg tly reprentative more about beg a father as a gay/bi/trans man at and follow on social media @gays_wh_kidsThanks to this episo's sponsors, Mosie Baby, fd out more about at-home sematn ks at, and Ltle Spoon, go to and enter GWK50 for 50% off your first orr of anic baby, toddler and kid food. But what is not often discsed is jt what gay men go through when they e out to their wife and kids, how much strength tak for them to build a whole new life, and the joy that n exist after wounds have started to episo, hear an spiratnal story of rilience wh Nigel Sellens, a dad Atralia who me out as gay after he and his ex-wife had had six kids, the youngt of whom is a special needs child. While Nigel says g out when you’re already a dad is no easy feat, for him, havg his children durg that very difficult time of self-reflectn was actually his savg more about beg a father as a gay/bi/trans man at and follow on social media @gays_wh_kidsThanks to this episo's sponsors, Mosie Baby, fd out more about at-home sematn ks at, Ltle Spoon, go to and enter GWK50 for 50% off your first orr of anic baby, toddler and kid food, and Magic Spoon cereal, go to and e GWK for $5 off your orr.

IS YOUR CHILD GAY?

Actor Claybourne Elr opens up about his life as a gay dad and full-time performer Broadway's revival of Company and HBO's h show The Gild episo, host David Dodge and Claybourne discs their shared upbrggs Utah's Mormon muni, Claybourne's experience g out as gay, and his experience formg his fay through surrogacy. Claybourne also tells the heartwarmg story of how he first entered the world of theater, how he als wh the prsur of beg a gay father the public eye, and how he matas a work-life balance while beg on Broadway six nights a week and filmg wh out at and follow on social media @gays_wh_kids for more stori of queer to this episo's sponsors;- Ltle Spoon anic baby, toddler and kid food; Get 50% off your first orr of lic pre-ma healthy plat at wh the checkout GWK50.

Learn more about beg a gay dad at and follow on social media @gays_wh_kids for more stori and news that matters to the queer dad to this episo's sponsors; Mosie Baby, fd out more about at-home sematn ks at and get 10% off wh the GWK, and Ltle Spoon, e GWK50 at for 50% off your first orr of healthy livery baby, toddler, and kid meals.

WHEN DO GAY KIDS START “ACTG GAY”?

Yet spe plitns, the ia of beg a blogil dad wh help om a surrogate mother is gag allure among gay men as the stat of "married wh children" grows ever more same-sex marriage now legal California even to nonrints, and Massachetts extendg s 4-year-old gay-marriage policy to out-of-staters, -wedlock parentg is sudnly a realistic optn for gays and lbians natnwi, even if their home state won't regnize the unn. Fertily clics and surrogacy programs report creased tert om gay men, while upl who already have children are gettg married — or nsirg — to provi more secury for those kids.

Starlg said he and Ltlefield had tried prevly to adopt a child South Carola, but enuntered anti-gay hostily and stead opted to bee parents through a surrogacy program n by Los Angel-based Growg Generatns.

SAN FRANCIS GAY MEN'S CHOS FAC BACKLASH FOR 'WE'RE G FOR YOUR CHILDREN' VIO

Sce 1996, has matched hundreds of gay men wh surrogate mothers who are paid to rry an implanted embryo produced om a donor egg fertilized wh the client's sperm.

"For lbian upl, blogil parenthood is ually a far simpler proposn than for gay men, sce there's no need for surrogacy and there are var optns for beg pregnant. "'The Taravellas (Brent has taken Joe's last name) both donated sperm — a fairly mon practice among gay male upl who say they don't re which partner is the blogil dad.

‘IT’S MY FLORIDA TOO’: PULSE SHOOTG SURVIVOR BRANDON WOLF ON BEG BLACK, GAY AND THE ANTI-RON DESANTIS

Some other upl ci to have two blogil babi simultaneoly, each providg sperm and g two the enterpris offerg such servic for prospective gay fathers is the Fertily Instut, which has offic Los Angel, Las Vegas and Mexi, and plans to open a branch soon New York Cy even though New York is among a half-dozen stat banng paid surrogacy. David Adamson, director of Fertily Associat of Northern California and print of the Amerin Society for Reproductive Medice, says gay upl nsirg the optn of surrogacy should receive thorough medil and psychologil unselg, as well as ndid legal advice.

The challeng of gay fatherhood n seem relatively ls dntg gay-iendly muni such as New York, where Jefey Parsons and Chris Hietikko are raisg a 2-year-old son, Henry. "Parsons, who has been nferrg wh Hietikko about gettg married, says he's a rary among gay men his age — even as a youth, realizg he was gay, he was nvced he'd bee a typil are men like Jeff Ltlefield, who said that his 20s, "I'd pletely given up on the ia of ever havg a child. The days, gay parents are no novelty: We see them strollg through our neighborhoods, participatg our PTA meetgs, and, perhaps most notably, appearg on our TV screens: Mchell and Cam, fathers to Lily, on the ratgs smash Morn Fay; Glee’s Sue Sylvter, expectant mom to a baby nceived wh an as-yet-unrevealed sperm donor, and Rachel’s dads, played wh humor and grace by Jeff Goldblum and Brian Stok.