Many LGBT people are parents, they can become parents through adoption, gay surrogacy, former relationships, foster care, co-parenting, donor insemination.

 
Adoption

Adoption by same-sex couples is legal in many countries. It is a process whereby a person assumes the parenting of a child, from that person’s biological or legal parent/parents and permanently transfers all rights and responsibilities, along with filiation, from the biological parent/parents.

Adoption is intended to effect a permanent change in status and as such requires societal recognition, either through legal or religious sanction.

 
Surrogacy

A lot of male gay couples take a decision to become parents through local or international surrogacy programs.

A surrogate is a woman who agrees (often for pay) to give birth to a child through artificial insemination or the implantation of an fertilized egg by sperm of one of the men and who surrenders any parental rights to a third party.

 
Insemination

Insemination is mostly used by lesbian couples. It is a method when a partner is fertilized with donor sperm. In some countries the donor can choose to be anonymous and in others he cannot have his identity withheld.

 
Developing methods

Currently scientists conduct researches to find on alternative methods of human parenthood which can aid same-sex couples to become parents. One of the possibilities is obtaining sperm from skin stem cells.