Justin Lee grew up with the notion of saving sex for marriage. When he realized he was gay, that could have thrown a wrench into his plans.

But with a growing acceptance of gay relationships inside and outside the gay community, and even a movement to recognize them legally, he knows it's a viable option to wait.

There are no hard numbers, but gays and lesbians aren't precluded from a recent surge among people choosing pre-marriage chastity. They aren't necessarily holding themselves back until states start granting licenses to same-sex couples, though.

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But now, with role models pervading entertainment and politics, gays and lesbians see a new world of options for how they live their lives.

"The Internet has made a huge difference in creating a movement," Lee says. "What at first might have seemed a little fringe group is then able to gain momentum as people meet others and discover they're not alone."

Lee's network, an affiliation of gay and lesbian Christians from across the country, has a "Waiting Until Marriage" group with 90 to 100 members, says the group's leader, Steve Rice, a massage therapist from Omaha, Neb.