Photo listings serve as a “child-specific recruitment” tool aimed at matching children in foster care with prospective adoptive families. This process is intended to connect children with families actively seeking to adopt; however, identifying an ideal parent involves more than simply making a match, it requires aligning parental qualities with a child’s needs. This study examines the parent characteristics emphasized in foster care photo listings across six U.S. states (Massachusetts, New York, Illinois, Texas, Florida, and Arizona), with particular attention to parenting practices, parental identities, and embedded assumptions about gender and family roles. Using thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006), informed by queer theory (Allen & Mendez, 2018) and parenting styles research (Baumrind, 1966), we analyzed a sample of photo listings to identify recurring patterns in how parental desirability is constructed. Findings suggest that although photo listings may aim to promote inclusivity, implicit biases, particularly regarding gender and sexual identity, persist in their language and structure. Given that LGBTQ+ individuals are significantly more likely to foster or adopt than their heterosexual counterparts (Gates, 2013), the ways in which photo listings communicate parental expectations have important implications for adoption accessibility and equity. Additionally, listings frequently privilege authoritative parenting values, such as nurturing, attentiveness, and structure, which may reflect culturally specific norms rather than universally held standards. This research highlights the parenting expectations embedded within foster care recruitment materials and raises important questions about equitable outreach and representation in adoptive family recruitment.