How Children Rearrange the Closet: Disclosure Practices of Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Prospective Parents

Gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer (GLBTQ) people in the United States are increasingly living lives beyond the closet. Previous research on the organization of postmodern families has not revealed how those who are GLBTQ are negotiating disclosure of their sexual identities during the process of becoming parents. This research fills this gap by looking at how parenthood rearranges the closet. It finds that parents overwhelmingly prefer to be open about their sexual orientation and gender identity, but many had to negotiate their disclosure during interactions with legal and medical institutions. Parents who used sperm banks and surrogacy agencies were better able to be out than those who chose adoption. Implications for practitioners and future research are addressed.