Initiallylesbiansandgaymenpursuedtheirquestforparenthoodwithoutanylegalrecognitionorprotectionandagainstenormoussocialbarriers.Justasgayandlesbiancouplesbegantoseeklegalstatusfortheirunions，lesbianandgayparentsarestrugglingtogainaccesstoparenthoodandtolegallyprotecttheirchildrenandthenewformsoffamilytheyhavecreated.PrincipalgoalsincludeaccesstoART，todomesticandinternationaladoption，andtocustodyrightsfornon-biologicalco-parents.Althoughgaysandlesbianshaveachievedsomesignificantvictories，internationalprogressinthequestforlegalparentstatusisslowerandevenmoreuneventhanforcouplerecognition.Evenamongadvancedindustrialsocieties，veryfewnationsyetgrantequalparentingrightstogaysandlesbians，whileamajoritystillmaintaindiscriminatoryfertility，adoption，andcustodylaws.Gaymensufferevengreaterhandicapsthanlesbians，andnotonlybecauseofbiology.Mostnationsthatallowinternationaladoptionsrestricteligibilityto（heterosexual）marriedcouples，andveryfewoftheminority，likeChina，thatacceptapplicationsfromsinglewomenalsoallowsinglementoapply.