Speaking in terms of stigma, I expect you would face plenty. I have lived for three years in Abu Dhabi as a single woman past the young age of marriage expected here. I have found that in this culture, women relate to each other by inquiring about family and relationships. The first questions you will face when you meet most Arab women and many Asian women are: "Do you have children?", "Are you married?", and then, "Why not?" As an American, I took these questions as intrusive and rude initially, until I understood that they were expressions of a genuine interest in starting a friendship. You will need to be prepared to answer these questions and be prepared for a bristle of a response if your answers don't align with Islamic culture. Bluntly, people won't want to hear your child was born outside of marriage. They will think it's very strange that you chose to have a child or to adopt without a husband, and most won't hesitate to give you their opinion. Your children will also face questions and reactions. Fatherless children are looked down upon by the entire culture. (Think of your grandmother's generation--homes for unwed mothers, etc.-- and multiply that by three). Adoption is not viewed in the same way in most of the Arab world as it is in the U.S. Orphans are cared for by family members or sent away to orphanages. As I understand it, Islam encourages people to give money to orphans, but not necessarily to adopt them. Muslim women with adopted sons wear the veil around their own adopted sons once they come of age, a representation of how an adopted family child doesn't achieve full-fledged family member status-- very different from how we view adopted children in the U.S.

I don't want to be a downer, I love living in the UAE, but when I read your post my heart ached for you, and I didn't want to see you step into a world of hurt. The UAE is comparably open in many ways, but still not a place to stray too far from accepted conventions. There are many other beautiful communities you could find to begin your family, but I would steer clear of the Middle East if I shared your noble desires. Sincere blessings to you!