The amount of worry..

I was really downright angry and depressed about or for the children they followed in this Australian-made documentary. I guess, being American, I've seen tons and tons of documentaries for years be they PBS, or The docu Rosie O'Donnel did, the one Sundance did, Same Sex America that HBO did, and a whole host of others where same-sex parents and there children are only really shone in a loving light where the children seem to have no real issues and well adjusted.. or at least not too worried about their prospects.

Gayby Baby is interesting and intriguing because of all the suffering these children seem to have or maybe suffering is too strong - all the worries they have.

Almost 90 percent of the film I'm just so anxious for these kids.
First with Ebony, she was the one that made me tear up. At the beginning she is desperate to get into a school called Newtown because it's a performing arts school where she knows she'll be accepted by other students since she has two moms. Her mom tells her that none of the kids at that school will have a problem with it 100%. It seems like poor Ebony can't get a break when it comes to her focus and practice for the audition to get into the school. She practices singing Adele's "Rolling in the Deep" for her audition.
She just seems so worried about it all and I am just hoping and praying with her that she'll get in even with her lack of confidence. She's a brilliant girl.. spends so much time with anti-anxiety/relaxtion and voice lesson CDs.. anytime she seems to get any momentum or happiness her youngest brother has a seizure (this really weighs heavy on her), or the car breaks down while it's raining and she has to walk to her audition.

Then there is Matt, perhaps the most confident, smart, well-spoken 12-year-old kid I've ever seen. But my goodness he has probably the biggest hurdle to overcome.. His mom is totally evangelical in her Christian worshiping and of course a lesbian. At one point he even tells her she should go to a church where they are accepted, instead they go to a church that loves them but not their sin. In fact, the pastor his mom makes him go and see for all his "questions" says they love their family but that it is a sin. Matt wants nothing to do with church and doesn't believe in God. He is very articulate and logical about this at such a young age. He talks about books he's read to form his opinion. And his mom can't stand it. It seems to make his mother angry that her son suggest they go to a church that would accept them completely. And for me, that was so sad because he clearly doesn't believe in God or the church (partly) because he totally believes in her. He is his mother and her lover's biggest champion. At one point he even says about going to a catholic high school, that there are only 5,000 kids and not all of them can bully him. He says he hopes he's not bullied at all.
His mother's evangelical belief system that she tries to cram down his throat pisses me off. New Testament translations and scholarly belief has opened up hearts and minds but she seems to only embrace the King James Version.

Then we meet Graham who was adopted by his dads. They move to Fiji where they have to lie about their family. He and his older brother are listed on only one of their dad's visas and they're to tell anyone that asks that the other father is the "baby sitter" (Again in the American documentaries this is just not to be had) His fathers tell him about good lies and bad lies and how in time they'll be able to live more of their truth.
Graham was neglected by the foster system and cannot read or write. He wasn't speaking in complete sentences until the age of 7. Most of Graham's experience is trying so hard to learn how to read. He talks about how people that read can go on to do almost anything they want. Of all the kids he seems to be the least impacted by the fact his parents are a same sex. He's very happy and doesn't feel down about his prospects. One can only imagine the neglect he has had and.. it's just heartbreaking. But he's very smart and knows how to go around the lies. One of the most amazing scenes is when one of his dads has to come out to the teacher. She seems relieved to finally have a complete picture of Graham and not at all judgmental. It's just very endearing.

Gus - well.. Gus I think feels like he has to be overly masculine or manly as he talks about it. There is a moment, however, when he tries on lipstick at a department store while his mom is shopping for clothing. And the girl behind the counter is so hateful with him even though he was using a tester lip stick. I wanted to smack her for it. (and as a man I should never be like that - but her hatred towards a little child) But other than that Gus is just a normal kid. He is very aware of whom he is and how he came to be. "Frozen Sperm Donation" he says.

And I think that's all the kids. Again, it's just a very interesting documentary. I think i'm so used to these things being sugar coated that maybe I've not seen a real and true picture of what children go through in same-sex households. Or maybe Australia isn't as accepting yet .. at least Sydney. I dunno. Or maybe it's just how every 12-year-old kid no matter of nationality feels before they start the long walk towards becoming young adults.
It just had me so upset that these kids were so worried. I think it's an interesting documentary and definitely worth a watch if you have NETFLIX streaming.