Donors are typically chosen who embody culturally desirable masculine qualities and physical characteristics. Prospective donors are often found through recruitment programs. These programs are geared toward the selection of healthy individuals who have a verifiable college education, a clean background, and an appealing personal profile. Clinics initially evaluate candidates based on their physical attractiveness, ethnic background, lifestyle, educational record, and occupation. Age is a factor; most donors are between 22 - 40 years old.

The clinics require photographs and detailed descriptions of physical characteristics, as well as information about personality traits, interests, hobbies, education, occupation, and personal and sexual history. The application is designed to determine that you come from good genetic stock; that you are physically attractive, intelligent, educated, emotionally stable, heterosexual, have a normal/conservative lifestyle, and are disease free. The recipients generally want as many of their positive, socially desirable qualities to be reflected in the sperm donor as possible. They attempt to match their physical appearance, ethnic or racial origin, personality type, and religious background.

Disclosure of one's homosexuality is automatic grounds for rejection from donor programs. Aside from sexual preference, most gay donor applicants are generally more intelligent, motivated, and physically attractive than heterosexual applicants. Because homophobic guidelines seek to prevent gay men from becoming sperm donors, it is necessary to lie about sexual preference and sexual history when applying to sperm donor programs.

The extensiveness of the application and screening process varies from sperm bank to sperm bank. The process generally consists of interviewing, background checks, psychological tests, social, sexual, and family histories, and medical and genetic screening. A physical examination is performed, as well as a battery of blood and urine tests to screen for infectious and inheritable diseases. All tests must have negative results in order to become a sperm donor.

The psychological screening includes an interview with a therapist experienced in this area and may include a specialized personality inventory test called the MMPI. Various other personality tests may be performed. It is important to remember during the interview that while donors receive a substantial fee for their services, their motivation is supposed to primarily be the desire to help couples achieve their dream of giving birth to a healthy baby. In our case, we are also motivated by our desire to contribute to the gay cause, insuring that the gay gene will survive through the next generation. This additional motivation must not be disclosed in the application and interview process.

It is useful to keep in mind that disclosure of homosexuality is grounds for immediate dismissal from sperm donor programs. The questions and tests are designed to screen for sexual preference, as well as for a myriad of other socially stigmatized behaviors and lifestyles.

When asked if you are in a relationship it is best to state that you are single; that you have been single for one year or more, and that in that time you have not had sex with anyone. This will avoid the necessity of screening your partner(s) for disease. When questioned about past relationships, it is often easiest to simply change the gender of your previous boyfriends on the application to female. When asked questions pertaining to history of lifestyle or sexual preference, keep in mind that only normative heterosexual men are considered to be desirable applicants. Whenever possible it is best not to directly lie, but rather to be oblique or evasive.

When applying in person it is best to look as attractive, straight and conservative as possible. Piercings and tattoos should be hidden. Gay social signifiers should be avoided. Try to dress according to what is deemed respectable and attractive in mainstream heterosexual culture. The Photographs that you are required to submit should also reflect these ideals. Appear clean-cut and conservative; act straight, reserved, and butch.

When answering questions, It is important to remember that men who have engaged in homosexual sex are automatically prohibited from donating sperm. Men who have visited areas where considerable numbers of AIDS cases have been reported and have had sex with either women or men living there are also prohibited from donating. Evasively answering direct questions about sexual history is difficult. It is often best to deny that you have had sexual relations with anyone in the past year. When answering questions, simply changing the gender of any previous partners/relationships to female may be easiest. This will prevent the testing of your previous or current sexual partner(s), which would "Out" you resulting in your immediate dismissal. Also, keep in mind that promiscuity is viewed as extremely undesirable, so downplaying the number of previous partners is generally a good idea.

2. Had sex with someone they suspect was infected with HIV.

3. Had sex with someone they suspect was infected with viral hepatitis.

4. Tested positive for HIV.

5. Injected non-therapeutic drugs.

6. Engaged in sex for money or drugs.

7. Had sex with someone who had sex with a bisexual male in the past five years.

8. Received clotting factor concentrates for hemophilia or related clotting disorder.

9. Had sex in the past year with someone who would answer "yes" to any of these questions.

10. Had more than a certain number of sexual partners in a 12-month period.

11. Have been diagnosed or if there is suspected infection of Genital warts, Hepatitis, Herpes, HIV, Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Syphilis, or Trichomonas.

1. Donor or either of his parents is adopted.

2. Donor used pituitary-derived human growth hormones.

3. Donor used non-prescribed steroids.

4. Donor was excluded from blood donation due to infectious disease.

5. Donor had jaundice or enlarged liver in last 12 months.

6. Donor had blood transfusion in the last 12 months.

2. Alcoholism, Arthritis including but not limited to Osteoarthritis Gout Rheumatoid, Asthma, Autism, Autoimmune disease including, Crest Syndrome Lupus, or Scleroderma Sjorgen's Syndrome.

3. Cancer or tumor including: Colon Hodgkin's, Leukemia Lung, Lymphoma Skin, Congenital Hip Disease, Cystic Fibrosis, Deafness, Diabetes, Down Syndrome, Drug abuse, Dyslexia, Eczema, Epilepsy, Exposure to radiation, toxic chemicals,

4. Eyesight deficiency not corrected by glasses, including Blindness, Cataracts, Color blindness, or Glaucoma Retinoblastoma.

5. Gastrointestinal Disorders including Crohn's Disease Diverticulitis Pyloric stenosis, Ulcerative colitis Ulcers.

6. Heart disorders including: Heart Attack Congenital heart disease, Hemophilia, High blood pressure, Hypoglycemia.

7. Kidney disorders including: Born with one kidney Polycystic kidney disease, Progressive kidney disease, Lesch-Nyhan syndrome.

8. Malformations including: Cleft lip Cleft palate, Clubfoot Polydactyly.

9. Mental illness including: Depression Schizophrenia, Manic depressive psychosis (bipolar disorder), Mental retardation, and Muscular dystrophy.

10. Neurological diseases including: Alzheimer's Creutzfeld-Jacob, Epilepsy Guillain-Barre, Huntington's JC virus, Lou Gehrig's Multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, Neurofibromatosis (small, discrete pigmented skin lesions), Neural tube defect, PKU or inherited metabolic disorder, Premature degeneration of any organ, Sickle cell anemia, Skin diseases, Stroke, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, Tay Sachs, Thalassemia, or Thyroid disorder.

The first model, recipients choose a sperm donor from a list. Sperm and cryobanks using this model completely screen a donor before they even put him on the list. A clinic using this model screens the donors, assuming that the donors will be used in up to ten matches. Ten couples will absorb the cost of this screening. The clinic publishes a list with information such as height, weight, ethnicity, eye color, hair color, number of years of college, age, occupation, etc. More information is available upon request. Typically, the donor is matched to the husband of the recipient based on the similarity of positive attributes. The recipient can be put on a "waiting" list for the most desirable donor(s).

The Matchmaker model is loosely based on the dating service model. When a recipient comes to visit a clinic using this model, a person screens them and that same person screens the donors. The interview is the critical piece in this model. Prior to this important interview, The clinic asks that the recipient completes a form listing their characteristics, as well as their expectations about their donor’s characteristics. During this interview, the donor coordinator uses this form as a starting-off point. When an appropriate donor is recruited, the coordinator presents this match to the recipient. Important to the success of this model is a donor coordinator, who through observation will determine the relative importance of matching specific characteristics.

In both cases donors are initially evaluated and matched to recipients based on all or most of the following characteristics: Physical attractiveness, weight, height, age, intelligence, body type, skin type, eye color, hair color, hair texture, religious background, blood type, race and ethnic origin, college education level and major, occupation or future occupation, hobbies and interests, and motivation to be a donor.

Date of Birth, Race/Ethnic, National Descent, Complexion, General Build, General Health, School Grade and Achievement, Hair Color, Eye Color, Complexion, Weight, Height, Occupation, General Health, Education, (If Deceased) Age & Cause, Special Characteristics.

Date of Birth, Race/Ethnic, National Descent, Complexion, General Build, General Health, School Grade and Achievement, Hair Color, Eye Color, Complexion, Weight, Height, Occupation, General Health, Education, (If Deceased) Age & Cause, Special Characteristics.

Full or Half Sibling(s), sex, Complexion, General Build, General Health, School Grade and Achievement, Date of Birth, Race/Ethnic, National Descent, Hair Color, Eye Color, Complexion, Weight, Height, Occupation, General Health, Education, (If Deceased) Age & Cause, Special Characteristics.

Date of Birth, Race/Ethnic, National Descent, Complexion, General Build, General Health, School Grade and Achievement, Hair Color, Eye Color, Complexion, Weight, Height, Occupation, General Health, Education, (If Deceased) Age & Cause, Special Characteristics.

Date of Birth, Race/Ethnic, National Descent, Complexion, General Build, General Health, School Grade and Achievement, Hair Color, Eye Color, Complexion, Weight, Height, Occupation, General Health, Education, (If Deceased) Age & Cause, Special Characteristics.

SOURCE OF INFORMATION:

SPERM DONOR'S FAMILY HISTORY

Respond YES or NO to each of the following diseases or conditions. If the answer is YES, please indicate on the last page of this form the following: number and corresponding letter of condition, the family member, and brief description of the disease/condition, its effect, age of onset, age if cause of death.

1. Allergies: (a) drugs) (b) foods (c) asthma (d) hay fever toxemia (e) other

2. Alcoholism/Drug Addiction.

3. Blood Diseases: (a) hemophilia (b) Rh disease (c) sickle cell disease/trait (d) thalassermia (Cooley's anemia) (e) other

4. Bone: (a) arthritis (b) curvature of spine(c) other structural malformation

(d) other

5. Cancer: (a) breast (b) bowel (c) colon (d) ovarian (e) skin (f) stomach

(g) Lungs (h) leukemia (i) other

6. Cardiovascular Disease: (a) atherosclerosis (b) congenital heart defect (c) heart attack (d) hyperlipidernia (e) stroke (f) other

7. Congenital Birth Abnormalities: (a) premature births (b) still births (c)

(d) ectopic pregnancies (e) eclamptogenic (f) other

8. Cleft Lip

9. Cleft Palate

10. Cystic Fibrosis

11. Diabetes

12. Dwarfism

13. Epilepsy

14. Hearing Disorders

15. Huntington Disease

16. Hyperactivity

17. Immune System Disease: (a) HIV Positive (b) AIDS (c) Hepatitis (d) other

18. Learning Disability (specify)

19. Liver Disease

20. Mental Illness: (a) manic-depressive (b) schizophrenia (c) other

21. Mental retardation: (a) Downs Syndrome (b) PKU (c) Lesch-Nyham Syndrome (d) hunters (e) tuberous sclerosis (f) other

22. Migraine Headache

23. Multiple Births

24. Multiple Sclerosis

25. Multiple Dystrophy

26. Myasthenia Gravis

27. Obesity

28. Pregnancy Complications

29. Respiratory Disorders: (a) emphysema (b) bacterial pneumonia (c) tuberculosis (d) other

30. Skin Disorders: (a) psoriasis (b) other

31. Speech Disorders: (a) stuttering (b) tongue tie (c) sound omissions (d) sound distortions (e) delayed speech (f) other

32. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

33. Systemic Lupus

34. Thyroid Disorders Erythematosis

35. Tay-Sachs Disease

36. Visual Disorders (a) cataracts (b) dyslexia (c) glaucoma (d) retinitis (e) strabismus (f) other

37. Any other diseases, which have occurred repeatedly in family (Specify)

"...As the undersigned, I do hereby acknowledge that all of my answers are true and that I have decided of my own free will to donate my semen and do hereby give my consent to __________ to use my donated semen for assisted reproduction and/or any other purpose deemed appropriate by _________. I shall have no rights or duties stemming from the conception of a child or children through assisted reproduction procedures.

.... I understand that this participation is on a confidential basis and that the recipient will not be informed of my identity and I shall not be informed of the recipient's identity. I also understand that my name, address, and all required records will be kept on file, and kept in the strictest confidence unless a court orders disclosure, and shows good cause pursuant to state and federal laws.

…. I understand that my participation in the program will not be less than six (6) months and will not exceed a period of three years. I will also remain in contact for a period of not less than five (5) years, keeping __________informed of my health status. I am willing to undergo any further testing or provide medically related information as warranted to safeguard the health of any offspring that may have resulted from the use of my sperm.

...I agree to report specifically any new information about genetic factors or information, which was not detected or advised during the screening process, even though these may not constitute a change in my health status. Once terminated from the donor program, I agree to continue monthly testing for a period of six months. I also agree to have blood work done annually for five years from the date of my termination from the donor program, regardless of my physical location from _________' headquarters. Compensation for the yearly blood testing will be equal to 5% of my average yearly income from _________' anonymous donor program. Drawing of the blood specimens may be assigned to a laboratory chosen by _________. All costs associated with the blood drawing and testing will remain the responsibility of _________.

.... I also understand that should I contract a contagious disease, I must notify _________ and decline donating specimens any longer. I understand that as a donor of _________ I must meet certain requirements, which if not met will cause termination from the donor program. If termination does occur, all payments due are forfeited..."

1. WHEREAS, the events and acts contemplated under this Agreement may be novel and unconventional and that certain genetic assumptions and presumptions of law are not necessarily appropriate in this matter, including, but not limited to:

(a) That the man (Donor) who provides the sperm as genetic material for the potential human child need be considered the "father," as the parties to this Agreement desire, and the parties here specifically agree, that the Wife/Recipient shall be considered the mother of the potential child for any and all purposes under the law;

(b) That Donor may be considered under any statement of fact or presumption of law to be the "father" of the potential human child, as the parties to this Agreement specifically agree that Husband/Father shall be considered the sole father of the potential human child under any and all circumstances;

(c) That the Sperm Donor as provider of the male genetic material for the potential child has any ownership or privacy rights or expectations whatsoever in his sperm once they are removed from his body, as the parties to this Agreement specifically agree that Wife/Recipient shall be considered the pregnant woman for any and all purposes under constitutional, statutory, regulatory, or case law, including, but not limited to, privacy expectations and rights as to any decisions to be made concerning, but not limited to, prenatal care and to carrying the child to term;

(d) That the Donor and/or Donor's Wife have any support obligation or parental rights whatsoever in or to the potential human child, as the parties to this Agreement agree and stipulate that the sole parental rights and support obligations to the potential child shall be restricted to Husband/Father and Wife/Recipient; that neither Donor, nor Donor's Wife, will in any way or manner expect to, nor will, attempt to form a parental relationship with any child or children born as a result of these procedures; and

(e) That the Mother and Husband will be considered the sole parents of the potential child upon its birth, they shall have the sole rights to name any such child or children, and they shall be so listed as parents on any birth certificate or other vital document or record issued by the State of ( ) upon the birth of the child. Donor and Donor's Wife agree that they have no parental rights or obligations to the potential child and will cooperate, if necessary, in assuring that all governmental records reflect that the Mother and Husband are the sole parents of the potential child, even if it requires any legal procedures (the cost of which will be borne by Mother and Husband).

Furthermore, Donor and Donor's Wife agree to cooperate in all ways necessary to assure that the Mother and Husband are deemed to be the sole parents of the potential child, including, but not limited to, providing of affidavits, signing documents, consents, surrenders, relinquishments, and terminations and participating in legal proceedings, including adoption proceedings, if necessary, to so establish these facts and relationships, including the listing of Mother and Husband as parents on any birth certificates of the child or children to be born. Mother and Husband agree that they shall bear the reasonable expenses, including attorney's fees, to effectuate these above listed obligations of Donor and Donor's Wife in the event that such additional actions or proceedings are necessary.

Donor and Donor's Wife stipulate and agree that they shall not form any parent/child relationship whatsoever with the potential child, as they relinquish any and all rights, conceivable rights, or potential rights which they could possibly claim to or in the potential child, and if necessary, they will sign additional formal relinquishments and termination of any potential parental rights in the future, if such actions are necessitated;

Mother and Husband agree to bear the psychological evaluation and medical costs of sperm donation, to the extent that these expenses are not covered by available medical insurance. Mother and Husband agree to be primarily, rather than secondarily liable for such expenses not covered by medical insurance.

Mother and Husband stipulate that they have been informed there is some risk in this procedure of the transmittal of venereal diseases, including, but not limited to Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. Donor here stipulates that he has undergone blood testing to determine whether he is infected with these diseases which could potentially be transmitted to Mother/Recipient, and ultimately to Husband. Donor's test results have been made available to Mother/Recipient and Husband, who have been informed of the results and have opted to proceed with the sperm donation procedure, its fertilization, and placement in Mother/Recipient. Husband and Mother/Recipient understand that there are certain risks of disease transmittal, yet have weighed the probabilities and have opted to proceed with these procedures. Husband and Mother/Recipient hereby waive any claim or potential claim they might have against Donor for disease transmission. Mother/Recipient and Husband agree to take full and complete responsibility for any child or children to be born pursuant to this Agreement regardless of whether the child is healthy, ill, handicapped, retarded, or otherwise adversely affected and regardless of whether more than one child is born.

Donor and Donor's Husband acknowledge that at least some of the donated sperm may be stored through a process known as cryopreservation. As such, while Donor and Donor's Wife have agreed that they have no rights whatsoever to the sperm which are donated to Mother/Recipient and Husband, they further acknowledge that some or all of the donated sperm shall or may be preserved, not in their original state, but in a fertilized state with the egg of the Mother.

Accordingly, Donor and Donor's Wife acknowledge and agree that they have no claims whatsoever to any preserved embryos and they will not assert for any reason, now or in the future, any claim to any of the embryos, even if for some reason in the future, Donor and Donor's Wife are rendered infertile or incapable of conceiving children. Specifically, Donor and Donor's Wife waive any potential right or claim they might have to retrieve any of the donated sperm and/or genetic material.

In the event there are any frozen embryos which are not immediately placed in the uterus of the Wife/Recipient, these embryos shall be frozen under the process of cryopreservation under separate contract with Infertility Clinic, and shall be retained for as long as possible for use by Mother/Recipient and Husband. Such use would include (but would not require) bringing a viable child to term through use of a surrogate, in the event Mother/Recipient could not bring a child to term successfully through embryo implantation in Mother/Recipient.

In the event of the death of Mother/Recipient and Husband, it is agreed by Mother/Recipient and Husband that any frozen fertilized embryos being stored by Infertility Clinic in the process of cryopreservation shall be governed by and in accordance with the directives established by Mother/Recipient and Husband under their last will and testament, or, if they have failed to do so, under contract or agreement with Infertility Clinic. If Mother/Recipient and Husband have failed to provide any direction as to the disposal or preservation of the frozen embryos or if the proposed designated recipient fails to accept or is unable to accept the frozen embryos, then Mother/Recipient and Husband hereby allow the destruction of the frozen embryos, but do not allow use of the frozen embryos for medical, scientific, or experimentation purposes

Mother/Recipient and Husband agree that the child(ren) so produced are legitimate child(ren) of the marriage of Mother/Recipient and Husband and are their heirs, considered in all respects, including descent of property; and that Wife/Recipient and Husband completely waive forever any attempt to disclaim such child(ren).

The undersigned have read this form and understand it fully. They understand that some of the language in this consent form may be technical. They have been given an opportunity to ask any questions they may have. All questions and inquiries have been answered to their satisfaction. Donor has been informed that he may contact the office of Infertility Clinic regarding further questions about this treatment and his rights as a patient. Donor is 18 years of age or older.

This Agreement shall be construed under the laws of the state of __________.

The parties to this Agreement acknowledge that there are novel aspects to this procedure in terms of medical techniques and procedures, as well as legal issues. Essentially, medical technology has outstripped the traditional legal framework on family law issues, and the Courts and legislatures have not yet fully responded to new family arrangements including the sperm donation procedure, fertilization, and implantation of embryos. As a result, the parties to this Agreement acknowledge that they are engaging in practices and endeavors which have not been fully tested, nor explored by either the Legislature of the State of_________, nor by the courts in _________, as __________ is the state where this Agreement shall be performed.

Accordingly, the parties to this Agreement acknowledge that there are risks both as to the procedures and in the determination of the legal rights and responsibilities of the respective parties to this Agreement. The parties to this Agreement realize that there may not have been a legal test of an agreement such as they are now executing, and the parties to this Agreement acknowledge that the Courts of The State of ___________ have most probably not issued definitive rulings or guidelines concerning arrangements such as the present one embodied by this Agreement. As a result, the parties to this Agreement concur that they are willing to undergo both the medical and legal risks associated with this procedure.

While the parties to this Agreement are aware of the actions and procedures contemplated under this Agreement, in no way may Donor, nor Donor's Wife, be considered to have "consented" to any potential interpretation that what is contemplated under this Agreement constitutes "artificial insemination." Accordingly, neither Donor, nor Donor's Wife, "consent" as that term is utilized under O.C.G.A. ß 19-7-21 to any "artificial insemination," as neither Donor, nor Donor's Wife, consider the potential child or children to be born to Husband and Mother/Recipient under this procedure to be the legitimate offspring of Donor and/or Donor's Wife.

The parties to this Agreement concur that all presumptions, obligations, waivers, renunciations, responsibilities, and actions to be undertaken are in the best interests of the child or children to be born pursuant to this Agreement.

(a) This shall constitute the sole and entire agreement between the parties, is binding on the parties, their heirs, administrators, and personal representatives, and no representations or promises not contained herein shall be in any way binding. Revisions or amendments to this Agreement shall only be effective if they are in writing, signed by all parties to this Agreement.

(b) In the event that any of the provisions of this Agreement are deemed to be invalid or unenforceable, the same shall be deemed severable from the remainder of this Agreement and not cause the invalidity or unenforceability of the remainder of the Agreement. If such provisions are deemed invalid due to their scope and breadth, the provisions shall be deemed valid to the extent of the scope or breadth permitted by law.

(c) The parties to this Agreement acknowledge that their remedies at law are inadequate and that specific performance and other equitable relief and remedies are specifically contemplated and so agreed to.

(d) This Agreement may be executed in multiple counterparts, each of which shall be an original, but all of which shall constitute one and the same agreement.

(1) Donor agrees, agrees to adhere to all medical instructions given to him, including abstention from sexual intercourse as directed by the Infertility Clinic, agrees to follow a transfer and prenatal medical examination schedule set by the Infertility Clinic, and except in an emergency, agrees to adhere to all medical instructions given to him by the Infertility Clinic, and any consulting physician, selected by the Infertility Clinic or the Mother's obstetrician. In the event that any such instructions are inconsistent, Donor, Mother/Recipient and Husband and such physicians shall confer to determine how to proceed.

(2) Donor agrees that Mother/Recipient and Husband shall be entitled to direct communication with the Infertility Clinic, and with any other physician Donor may consult, and he hereby authorizes each such physician to release to Mother/Recipient and Husband all information concerning the health of Donor. Donor warrants that all information that Donor has provided to Mother /Recipient, Husband, Infertility Clinic, and Donor's obstetrician is true and correct, and that all representations contained in Exhibit A to this Agreement are true and correct, and that all parties to this Agreement are relying upon Donor’s statements and representations.

(3) Donor further agrees, during the course of treatment contemplated by this Agreement, not to smoke tobacco products, drink alcoholic beverages, use illegal drugs or, without the prior written consent of the Infertility Clinic, sperm bank, use any nonprescription or prescribed medications, other than Tylenol, except in an emergency.

(4) Donor, Mother /Recipient, and Husband agree that they neither will, with respect to the events surrounding or contemplated by this Agreement, do any of the following without prior written consent of the other: write about or otherwise describe, discuss, or confirm such events with a view to publication or other dissemination to the media of any account of them, documentary, fictional or otherwise. This provision shall survive any termination of this Agreement.