So you want to start or help an LGBT family?

For the Georgia Straight's 2014 Pride issue, we shone the spotlight on LGBT parents, both parents who are LGBT as well as straight parents of LGBT children.

We heard some inspiring and interesting stories, from gay dad Ian Colvin, who found that he faced more assumptions simply as a father alone with a baby than as a gay man, to Fiona Chen, a mother who stood up for her transgender elementary-school son.

Advertisers have also become more progressive in depicting same-sex parents, such as in a Cheerios Canada ad featuring Quebecois fathers and same-sex parents were included in a Honey Maid ad depicting different types of families.

There has been a lot of growth over the years in recognizing LGBT families and parents. But there still remains some confusion, misunderstanding, and struggle.

If you're bisexual, lesbian, transgender, gay, queer, two-spirited, or any other related identity, and wanting to start a family, things may not seem as straightforward or clear-cut as straight people.

Luckily, there's an upcoming workshop that will help prospective parents explore their options and understand the issues involved.

The BC Council for Families is holding a weekend workshop (February 20 to 22) called "Making Family" that will explore such topics as:

• pregnancy, surrogacy, adoption, and coparenting

• various family structures: single, partnered, poly, multiple parents, and more

• stereotypes about LGBT parents

• research on LGBT parents

• local resources and legal issues

Cost is $175 and more information is available at the organization's website, which also has a special section for queer resources.

If you're a service-provider who wants to help LGBT people become parents, the organization is also holding a workshop called "LGBTQ Family Making" on February 25 to help people learn about the issues listed above in the context of helping LGBT people.

If you're also interested in making your program or service more LGBT–friendly, support a wide range of gender expression in children, and work with LGBT families, the workshop "Coming Out as a Positive Space" (February 25) will take a look at barriers to working with LGBT families, misconceptions about LGBT parents and their children, and more.

For further information about these sessions, visit the BC Council of Families website.

Meanwhile, for a different but no less important stage of LGBT life, an SFU LGBT meeting will be held on January 28 (7 to 9 p.m.) at SFU Harbour Centre (515 West Hastings Street) to discuss the results of focus-group research held in Vancouver in 2014 about the challenges and strategies for end-of-life preparations for LGBT adults.

Dr. Brian de Vries from San Francisco State University and Dr. Gloria Gutman from SFU's Gerontology Research Centre will host the town hall meeting. As seating is limited, email registration is required.