For a variety of logistical, political, psychological, and emotional reasons, a significant percentage of women who provide surrogate pregnancy services are working with gay couples, and they're preferring it. Apparently, gay couples are more sympathetic, they'll watch the surrogate's kids, they don't have the difficult underlying competitive fertility issues that can complicate MF couples using surrogates. The list goes on.
The NY Times has a very thorough overview of gay parents' increasing use of surrogacy instead of adoption to start families. Frequently, one partner's sperm is joined with a donor egg, and the embryo is carried to term by the surrogate, who receives around $20,000 (on top of all medical expenses). The resulting genetic link between parent and child can make it easier for gay men to navigate the varying state-by-state maze of parenting rights.
The article also mentions "the close-knit surrogacy community," but it doesn't really point to many organizations or groups beyond the surrogate agencies. [That said, Circle Surrogacy in Boston, Growing Generations in LA, and Center for Surrogate Parenting in Encino, are all mentioned as gay-friendly or gay-focused surrogacy agencies.]
Mothers' New Niche: Bearing Babies for Gay Couples [nyt]
Previously: California: Jurisdiction of Choice for Surrogacy
X, Y & Me: Story Books for the Alt-Conceived Child
It many places "navigate the varying state-by-state maze of parenting rights" translates into "adoption is prohibited once the county pencil pusher finds out the adopting couple is gay."
true enough, but there are also states that explicitly do or don't recognize the status of gay couples, or that give different legal status to the (usually adoptive) non-biological father, or have varying degrees of case law and experience regarding surrogacy in general.
Either by size or by luck or political environment, courts in states like California have far more extensive case law about surrogates, for example, and a lot of couples--gay and straight--are going there, if only to decrease the uncertainties of any legal proceedings.
I'm 14 years old and doing a study on surrogate pregnancy rights for gay people when i stumbled upon this site and decided to tell you my point of you.gay men, as most people know, are very much discriminated when it comes to everyday things.i think that most people should be maybe taking a page out of their book rather than mocking them.they are some of the only people in this world who take confidence in themselves and are proud to let the rest of the world know that and im sure would be just as happy to let someone else in to enjoy the positivity.i think they have real guts to stand up against the social public and represent themselves and have pride in who they are.we should all be taking an example off them and admiring them for the courage they have taken to be different.i would be extremely happy to give a baby to a gay couple but obviously at my age its a bit hard but i happily support gay marriages and lifestyles and i am a huge fan and admirer of every one.