At a time when the world is divided on the issue of same-sex marriage, four Australian LGBT families share their stories to help provide a perspective for stories not often shared. Told from the perspective of four kids being raised by same-sex parents, Gayby Baby is a documentary about the beauty and struggles of LGBT families in the 21st Century.
Maya Newell, the director, is an adult Gayby and her experience of being raised by same-sex parents guarantees a well-informed insight into these stories.
Newell told BuzzFeed News she hopes the film will start “a tide of narratives” about same-sex families. Stating that “What we’re trying to do with this film is give people a really honest insight into the world of same-sex families that’s told by the kids, and I really hope that people stop talking about same-sex families and their children and start listening to them.”
Gayby Baby uses personal testimonies to cast new light on the marriage equality debate through the idea of family. As the idea of a “normal” family all but fades from public perception, a portrait of children in same-sex families can offer a refreshingly honest picture of the value systems that really count in modern life. This film questions just what is a 21st Century family, and how and by whom should it be defined?
An honest and intimate film, shot in the style of cinema verité, Gayby Baby is a coming of age story following life as lived by Gus, Ebony, Matt and Graham. Whilst each family is unique, the kids nonetheless all face the dramas of growing up, oncoming puberty and stepping out for the first time into a world that places intense scrutiny on families like theirs.
There are now millions of children being raised by same-sex couples worldwide, pushing the traditional image of family towards a more progressive and inclusive appearance. We’re living in a Gayby-boom. But who are these kids? What do they think about growing up with same-sex parents? And do they actually face different issues to other kids? At a time when the world is debating marriage equality, these questions are more pertinent than ever.
