Gay couple faces challenges of surrogacy

http://media.www.ntdaily.com/media/storage/paper877/news/2009/04/21/News/Gay-Couple.Faces.Challenges.Of.Surrogacy-3718928.shtml

Yuki Cruse Contributing Writer

Chris, 38, and James, 35, have been life partners for eight years. They have been researching ways to have a child of their own for the last four.

The two are now seeking a surrogate to help them achieve this goal.

Both men are business professionals who wish to remain anonymous because they have not fully introduced their sexualities to their different work places. Chris and James are not their real names.

It has taken four years of research because each method Chris and James consider has its own pros and cons. The main stipulation that prevents them from moving forward is that the couple wants to be able to have a child of their own with no legal strings attached, Chris said.

Stephanie Scott, a representative of Dallas-based Simple Surrogacy, said about 26 gay couples applied for a surrogate last year compared to 15 heterosexual couple applicants.

Simple Surrogacy is an agency that helps match intended parents and surrogates. The agency is also one of the few that work with same-sex couples.

Chris said he and James were drawn to surrogacy because part of the child would be biologically theirs. They are more likely to use Chris' sperm because he feels strongly about having a biological child of his own, he said.

"We've traveled," Chris said. "We've experienced a lot, done a lot of great things, but for me personally, if I pass through this life without ever having that biological connection, I haven't done anything."

The couple has received some response to the ad they previously placed in the Daily, but the men are hesitant to move forward. It's a lot to ask of a woman, and it takes a special person to agree to become a surrogate, Chris said.

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