Single, Gay and Ready for Fatherhood

Unwed men are statistically less likely to adopt than almost anyone else, but a rapidly rising number of them are taking the parental leap—no spouse necessary.

Photos By Adam Ewing

This story is republished from MEL Magazine. MEL aims to challenge, inspire and encourage readers to drop any preconceived notions of who they’re supposed to be.

Keith Lippa  —  bald, tan and a touch paunchy, shoulders slightly hunched underneath a red polo and pair of khakis  —  ambles into Hiro Sushi, a nondescript Japanese restaurant in Richmond, Virginia.

He settles into one of the many empty black booths for what will be a welcome break from his myriad familial obligations. After lunch, for instance, he has an initial consultation with a surrogacy specialist, and the thought of fathering a child for the first time daunts him.

And that’s on top of his immediate dad duties. After lunch he has to pick up milk and chicken breasts from the supermarket, drive home, put the groceries away, let the dog out, then drive back across Richmond to pick up his two adopted sons — Eli, eight, and AJ, three — from summer camp and preschool, respectively. He’d like to sneak in a wo…