We asked LGBT families to send in their most adorable family photos — and they did not disappoint.
To celebrate families that come in all shapes and sizes, we asked LGBT families from the BuzzFeed Community to send us their most adorable family photos — and they did not disappoint.
Here’s what they had to say about the loved ones they take pride in every day.
1. “My wife selflessly agreed to carry all three boys after we discovered that due to a chronic medical condition, it would not be best for me to conceive.”
‘My wife Teresa and I with our three boys (set of 16-month-old twins and a 3-year-old). My wife selflessly agreed to carry all three boys after we discovered that due to a chronic medical condition, it would not be best for me to conceive. Our house is filled with so much love that I honestly feel like my heart will burst sometimes. We are definitely blessed and fortunate.’
2. “It is often said that fairy tales don’t exist, but this is definitely as close as it gets.”
“Neither of us benefited from consistently having our fathers in our lives and it has always been our dream to raise a family together in a loving, two-parent household. As a same-sex couple of color, we knew our journey would provide unique challenges, but we were ready to face them head on. In late 2016, after ten years together, we decided to take a leap of faith and began the adoption process.
“Three months later (highly unusual), our son Timothy joined the Seigler-Carter family. He giggles when we are showering him with kisses and is not easily moved by traditional kiddie games — definitely a strong personality! He also enjoys going out with his daddies for brunch. It is often said that fairy tales don’t exist, but this is definitely as close as it gets.”
3. “Growing up, we celebrated the anniversary of my adoption every year with a picnic on the beach. While our beach picnics have ceased over time, the silly face making hasn’t.”
‘Growing up, we celebrated the anniversary of my adoption every year with a picnic on the beach. While our beach picnics have ceased over time, the silly face making hasn’t.’
4. “Our son is lucky to have two mamas to battle through each day and figure things out.”
‘Having a newborn means every day is a new challenge. But our son is lucky to have two mamas to battle through each day and figure things out.’
5. “It’s as simple as that; we have all we need!”
“Sebastian is a non-verbal autistic boy who also has a rare chromosome deletion and sensory processing disorder. He requires around-the-clock care. The stress can get overwhelming and crazy. But even when everything is going wrong, I know I have everything I need and our life together is perfect. It’s as simple as that; we have all we need!”
6. “When she started school last year and kids would ask her why she had two moms, she would just shrug and say, ‘Because they love me.'”
“My wife and I will have been together coming up on five years and married for over two. I met her when my daughter Mila was about five months. Mila has never known anything different than having a mom a ‘Mo’ and a dad. When she started school last year and kids would ask her why she had two moms, she would just shrug and say, ‘Because they love me.’
“I think the biggest difference in raising a kid in a same-sex marriage is the type of serious talks we have had to have — about equality and what it means to love and how sometimes people don’t like us because we are together. I LOVE my beautiful blended family.”
7. “[Fatherhood] will be the biggest reward of your life.”
“Fatherhood through surrogacy is a legal landmine, the biggest expense of your life, and half the world is against you — but if you make it through to the other side, it’ll be the biggest reward of your life.”
“Fatherhood through surrogacy is a legal landmine, the biggest expense of your life, and half the world is against you — but if you make it through to the other side, it’ll be the biggest reward of your life.”
8. “There are definitely days when I feel overwhelmed and outnumbered, but my kids are amazing and I wouldn’t change a thing about our family.”
‘I’m a lesbian and a single mom (by choice, and with no plan to change that anytime soon, if ever) with a 4-year-old daughter and a 13-year-old son. Their dad is a close friend of mine from high school, and he and his family are a huge and very important part of our lives. I consider many of his family members my closest friends and our biggest support system way more than my own relatives are.’I haven’t been in a serious relationship since my son was very young, so it’s been just the three of us for almost all of their lives. It’s been both incredibly amazing and, at times, incredibly difficult. There are definitely days when I feel overwhelmed and outnumbered, but my kids are amazing and I wouldn’t change a thing about our family.’
9. “One day [my dads] FaceTimed me unexpectedly so they could show me their matching costumes for the Sound of Music–themed birthday party they were attending that afternoon.”
‘My dads live in California and I’m currently residing in New Jersey, so we communicate often via video chat. One day they FaceTimed me unexpectedly so they could show me their matching costumes for the Sound of Music–themed birthday party they were attending that afternoon. The story goes that they both decided to go as nuns because they couldn’t agree on who got to be Maria.’
10. “He calls her ‘mama’ and I’m his mommy.”
‘Vale and I have been together for almost six years! We met when my son was 4 years old and now he’s almost 10! My son has a rare syndrome but it was never a problem for my girl! He calls her ‘mama’ and I’m his mommy.’
11. “Things are not perfect, but we all love each other and strive to be a happy family.”
‘I was married to a man for eleven years before I met and fell in love with my wife. We married in May 2016 and are co-raising my two children from my previous marriage. Things are not perfect, but we all love each other and strive to be a happy family.’—
12. “This photo was taken the afternoon we were told by the court that our petition for adoption of our second child (who is gender-nonconforming) was approved!”
‘This photo was taken the afternoon we were told by the court that our petition for adoption of our second child (who is gender non-conforming) was approved! They are holding the phone with our first son in the black hoodie in the back. Both of our kids came to us through Theraputic Foster Care in our local community in Wyoming.’
13. “This is our IVF bubba, Milo!”
‘My lovely wife and this is our IVF bubba Milo.’
14. “I’m always impressed when people from my past who I’ve made the mistake of assuming they wouldn’t be accepting make even the simplest of gestures by liking a photo of my family on Facebook.”
‘I’m always impressed when people from my past who I’ve made the mistake of assuming they wouldn’t be accepting make even the simplest of gestures by liking a photo of my family on Facebook. It’s meaningful. You see that my family is just like yours or the other families in your life.’
15. “Our first real Christmas together, as a family.”
‘After a very difficult year, my fiancee and I planned a surprise trip to Disneyland at Christmas for our two boys (mine from a previous relationship) and brought along my little bro for crowd control. Our first real Christmas together, as a family. It was amazing and a wonderful way to end a terrible year, and ring in the possibility and beauty of a new year.’
16. “We are now growing our family, and are expecting a baby in July. Everyone is thrilled to expand our loving circle by one.”
‘Biff and I adopted our niece and nephew two years ago, after three years of parenting them. They came to us in a time of crisis, but they’ve been the light of our lives ever since. We are now growing our family, and are expecting a baby in July. Everyone is thrilled to expand our loving circle by one.’
What do you love about your family? Add your own story in the comments below!
