Ricky Martin, Other Men Increasingly Choose Single Fatherhood

Like the women two decades ago who decided to become mothers on their own -- sparking a redefinition of family, not to mention a culture war -- single men, gay and straight, hear the ticking biological clock. And they are moving beyond looking for Ms. or Mr. Right.

Now, with fertility technology or adoption, the men are becoming single fathers. Last month, the singer Ricky Martin, 36, became the father of twins by surrogacy. Mr. Martin intends to be the sole parent, his publicist, John Reilly, said.

Statistics on single fathers by choice are few, but there are indications that while they make up a sliver of the demographic pie, their numbers are growing. Surrogacy agencies, surveys on adoption and father support groups all say that they are seeing more single fathers by choice. Most of these men are gay, agencies say, but there are also straight men seeking to become fathers.

Keep reading.

-or-

Read about Ricky Martin's new twins.

Comments

[ScandalousCandice]

Umm Ricky Martin is gay. They should really use better examples of actual single dads. And Clay Aiken isn't a good choice either.

[GayGrandpa]

AND WHAT'S WRONG WITH BEING GAY?!!! PROUD gay dad and grandpa here...get a clue Candice!

[ScandalousCandice]

There is nothing wrong with it. You are talking to a certfied F-ag h-ag. Get off your high horse.

Ricky isn't an example of single dad parenting because I thought he had a boyfriend. Albeit in the closet.

All caps are for p-sychos.

[dora rice]

If a woman is stupid enough to have a baby before marriage , she deserves a daddy who just comes several times a month to see the baby and for a one night stand.

[GayGrandpa]

Talk about stupid - LOOK IN THE MIRROR! Sounds like an ol' tight lipped Republican from my era. Compassion is an emotion the Republicans have ground through the meat grinder and fed to their dogs...I guess that why their dogs wear lipstick!

[iphelgix]

as a very proud single father to an 8 year old boy let me just point one thing out for you:

the only person who suffers is the child.

so what your post tells me is that an innocent child must be made to suffer emotional distress and potentially dire ecomonic straits just so you can get up on an imaginary high horse? let's not even get into the fact that statistically, most marriages fail miserably ending in bitter custody disputes that leave the children scarred and in a single parenting situation anyway. your world is not a world i want to live in, i'd rather it be loving and nurturing to children, regardless of how many parents a child has.

[Tommygun264]

Just because you don't see Ricky Martin splashed across the covers of the tabloids (like the Enquirer, Time and Newsweek) with a partner doesn't mean he doesn't have someone in his life. It wasn't that long ago that Jodie Foster's public persona was that of a "single mother". I'm not saying anything about Ricky Martin's sexuality - I'm just saying that not all celebrities feel compelled to have their publicist tip off photographers as to when and where their client plans to pretend to try to go out unnoticed.

[Amused80]

First off, I would like to say that I think anyone should be able to raise a child. A single mother, single father, two gay men, two gay women, etc. I do however think that all of these people are kind of weird, especially single men, like Ricky Martin.

[MarkInEugene]

The man is handsome, wealthy and healthy and I hear he is thrilled with his new sons who will be well taken care of .... end of story.

For all of you creepy Americans who want to gossip endlessly, spew venom, pontificate your BS....

Let the food fight begin !

[RichDavid]

Right on Mark.....Why don't these people worry about bush's war and the death the US is causing around the world....Not new innocent life! This country's priorities are all screwed up.

[EndTheEcho]

At least one set of stats aren't hard to come by, the number of children adopted from the public foster care system in the US by single men.

In Federal Fiscal Year 2006 - 1,496 children were adopted by single men.

http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/stats_research/afcars/tar/report14.htm

[MarkInEugene]

You are a gem....thank you for the naked truth!

[OMG1]

I wonder if Arianna would be willing to require an IQ Test for members before they allow them to participate and offer their input on the Huffington Post.

[genevieve35]

so he is gay and that's okay...

[Pamela1961]

What matters is if he is a good Father.

[SFkid]

Ricky, like Clay Aiken, is gay.

[antaeus]

But Ricky is much better at it. Yum.

[Dilz]

Ricky needs to do the right thing and come out.

[anghiari]

and what business is it of yours what his sexual preference is or isn't. Really tired of people talking about something they suspect but don't REALLY know. What? did they both turn you down SFkid?

[Myrell002]

isn't that a well known fact? or have I been assuming all this time. hopefully they will have a surrogate mommy or grandmother. children need both, even if it's a gay couple raising a child.

[yngcelt]

Oh my God! He looks like he's about to take a bite out of one of those babies! Don't do it Ricky!! They're not made out of candy you dolt!!
Somebody help those poor babies!!

[kcnativnla]

"Ricky Martin, Other Men Increasingly Choose Single Fatherhood..."

...and "other" men are increasingly gay. Aint nothing wrong with it - but if you're going to "report" on a story like this, tell the whole story. They're "choosing" single fatherhood because they "choose" not to pretend to like women. Good for them, but I wish they would come out of the closet so this world will see that gay men are perfectly capable of being good fathers.

[NEANDERTHALL]

...erm... it does say that!

[hpr01]

(Part 2) They sacrifice they're own dreams, time, money & energy for the love of their children, trying to provide a better life for them, only to be harrassed, overly-scrutinized & judged by society-as if on top of all they have to balance, they need this ill-treatment. To think, their taxes pay the salaries of those expressing these prejudicial attitudes & there's no legal options to stop it! More detestable sexism from media & sociey. Next we'll see these same men, who are nowhere near the same lower socio-economic scale, cry "victim" just to obtain the woefully meager benefits that are available to single moms that truly do need economic support, esp. those who get none from the other biologic. I think it's great for Ricky & other men who find joy & fulfillment in kids & aren't ashamed of fatherhood or view it as burdensome or problematic to their "player" image; but it's still grossly unfair to women worldwide who must parent under hostile societal attitudes from schools, gov't bodies, father-bias by courtrooms & media, etc... just for being mothers. Way to go Ricky & other men! Ladies, keep your heads up!

[hpr01]

(Part 1) if this was a woman, she'd be demonized for being an unwed mother, & pressured to find a man-as if her parenting ability is somehow magically tied to her marital status. Not so w/men: once again there's a double standard response at work from society at large . Men get praise, support, encouragement, celebration & compliments for "choosing" this lifestyle, while women, who bare these wonderful beings, are demeaned & demonized for raising THEIR children alone! Many, if not most, single mothers I know are quite content w/ their decision & satisfied to be mothers. I'm sure financially, most wish for & work towards improvement in this area, but I don't know one that would trade being a mother for anything & value it as the most important & defining role of their lives.

[DerekRC]

Don't you mean GAY MEN CHOOSE SINGLE PARENTHOOD?