Surprising to some, Nevada is near the top of a national study about families.
Nevada cracked the top ten best places for LGBTQ folks to start a family. Those who have done it say they weren't always sure they'd raise a kid in Las Vegas.
Six-week-old Atlas has dark black hair and two gay parents.
"I think we've been pretty awesome parents," said Justin Rodriguez, the father.
Rodriguez met Keriann Parkes in high school. They date other people, and sometimes their situation needs explaining.
"I'm dating a woman currently who right up front was like I never want to be a parent, but look at this face," said Parkes.
The pair knew very early that they wanted to parent together. Rodriguez and Parkes weren't always sure it would happen in Nevada.
"Well, it's known as sin city. It's not exactly inviting for parents," said Parkes.
Move.org is a website that helps you find the best place to live. On their list of best states for LGBTQ families, Nevada is number six.
MORE INFO: 5 Best and Worst States to Move to Start an LGBTQ Family
The ranking is based on things like hate crime laws, adoption policies, and the number of same-sex couples.
The desert heat can make you cry, and the public schools have gone through severe budget cuts, but for Rodriguez and Parkes the supportive community has given the silver state a silver lining.
"I think there might be a common misconception out there that Nevada might be lacking in everything and the bottom line is we're not," said Rodriguez.
Click here to follow the couple's journey on Facebook
Leading the list is California and coming in dead last West Virginia.
