Thus，theWestern“Agaybyboom”ofthelate20thcenturycaughtmostfamilyscholars，lawyers，citizens，andevengayactivistsunawares.Beginningslowlyinthe1970sandgrowingexponentiallysincethe1980s，self-identifiedlesbiansintheU.S.andafewotherWesternadvancedindustrialsocietiesstartedtoactivelychooseparenthoodthroughsuchmeansasdonorinsemination（DI），domesticandinternationaladoption，oreveninstrumentalparticipationinheterosexualintercourse.Theyhavedonesoassingleparents，incouples，andinavarietyofcreative，cooperativearrangementswithfriends，relatives，andgaymen.Perhapsadecadeafterthelesbiangaybyboom，smallernumbersofgaymenfollowedtheirlead，seekingparenthoodprimarilythroughadoption，fostercare，andco-parentingarrangementswithwomen，orinevensmallernumbersbynegotiatingwithpaidandvolunteersurrogatestobearchildrenconceivedwiththeirsperm.
Inmyview，theemergenceoflesbianandgayplannedparenthoodrepresentsagenuinefamilyrevolutionandepitomizesthecharacterofthepostmodernfamilycondition.Openlylesbianandgaymenwhochooseparenthoodmakestarklyvisibletheworldhistoricreconfigurationoftherelationshipbetweensexualityandthefamilythathasbeentakingplaceintheeraofglobalization.Theychallengeandmultiplyconventionaldefinitionsofmother，father，andparentaswellastraditionalrelationshipsbetweensexuality，gender，marriage，procreation，andparenting.SomelesbiansandgaymenexperimentwithvanguardpossibilitiesofAssistedReproductiveTechnology（ART），suchaslesbianswhoexchangeovatoseparateandrecombinegestationalandgeneticdefinitionsofmotherhood，orgaymalecoupleswhotaketurnsinseminatingeggsfromthesamedonorsothatchildrenborntothemthroughsurrogacywillbegenetichalf-siblings.Becausehiredsurrogacyissorestricted，expensive，anddifficult，however，mostgaymenwhoseekparenthoodintheUSAadopttheirchildren，andthechildrenavailabletothemaremorelikelytobefromdifferentracial，ethnic，ornationaloriginsthanistrueforotheradoptiveparents.Heretoo，gayparentingchallengesconventionalexpectationsoffamilyhomogeneity.