What’s in a name?

Everything.

Your name leaves the first impression and has the ability to leave a lasting impact. A name can become unique or it can blend into the crowd. Whatever your name, long or short, unique or common, your name defines you.

We gave ourselves the name “The Gay Dad Project” because we all had gay dads – gay dads who were all born within three months of each other in the same year. The connection was too strong for us to ignore.

Don’t let our name fool you, though. The Gay Dad Project is not just about gay dads. The Gay Dad Project is about families. Plain and simple. The Gay Dad Project is about exploring and discovering what it means when a parent in a family comes out as gay.

As children who all had a gay dad we found comfort in sharing our experiences with each other. It is that comfort, that yearning to know that we were not alone, that drove us to reach out and find other kids who were just like us. Kids who knew what it felt like to have a parent suddenly change who we had known them to be. It can feel isolating, confusing, shocking, maddening, and terrifying. We wanted to create a space where other kids who had been through this transition, or were maybe even going through this transition, could reach out and find that they were not alone.

Knowing we are not alone is powerful. Powerful and comforting.

One of our main goals with The Gay Dad Project is to connect with other kids who have one gay parent. To help us make these connections, and to help create a safe and welcoming space for kids with a gay parent to share their stories, we feel it is very important to also hear the stories from gay parents, straight spouses, siblings, cousins, anyone who is somehow connected to a family where one parent has come out as gay.

So, yes, we’re called The Gay Dad Project, but we want everyone to get involved in the conversation. We envision The Gay Dad Project to be a place where we can all talk and learn, where we can begin to understand each other and our families. Please talk amongst yourselves and talk here on our site. Kids, tell us about when your dad came out, or your mom. Gay dads and gay moms? Tell us your stories. Straight partners, we want to hear from you too.

Everyone has a story and everyone’s story is important. You should feel at home sharing your story here. We look forward to hearing it.

-The Gay Dad Project: Jared, Erin, & Amie