Gay Sperm Donors

Since the 1970s, gay men have acted as sperm donors, primarily for lesbian recipients. This entry outlines the reasons for this history and the legal complexities that arise from it for both donors and recipients. Specifically, the entry suggests that the assumption that gay men may constitute ideal donors for lesbian recipients overlooks the competing motivations that may lead gay men to donate sperm. The entry then examines some of the motivations that lead gay men to act as sperm donors as documented in empirical research, and the challenges that may arise for some men (and the women to whom they donate sperm) as a result of these motivations. The entry ends by considering what the future holds for the role of gay men as ...