Gay Gothic: How Four People Met, Had a Baby, and Became Good Friends

This article discusses the new 'baby boom' in the lesbian community--artificial insemination. Some lesbian mothers are emphatic about not wanting a father in the picture. But those who want the sperm donor to be involved or co-parent are likely to choose a man who is also gay (although the AIDS epidemic has tragically reduced the pool of risk-free candidates). The resulting Gay Gothic tableau-gay mom and pop "forming a family," just like the Brady Bunch-flies in the face of the right-wing stereotype that gays "recruit" children since they "can't reproduce."

The two most interesting questions asked--

1-whether they want the child to grow up gay. In fact, the parents don't usually care.

2-whether they worry about discrimination towards the child because their parents are gay. One mother says their may be limitations on where they should reside, and she knows many people don't accept them. "But we're all at the point where we know who we are and what our values are-that's just not an issue. For instance, I don't really care whether the pediatrician approves of my relationship. "