Out With Dad: A web series about a single father and his lesbian teenage daughter

With more and more single parents out there, it’s important for single dads with gay children to not feel alone. It’s useful to acknowledge the unique experiences of what it’s like to be a single father with a gay child. Some of us may have become single through a painful and sometimes exhausting separation from a male or female partner. Some of us may have suffered a bereavement and been left as a single parent. Alternatively, some of us may have consciously embarked on a journey of becoming a single father. Whatever our journey, connecting with others that have had similar experiences can help. In this post, Pink Families highlights one of our favorite web series called Out with Dad that examines what it’s like to be a single father with a child that is questioning their sexual orientation.

The ins and outs of Out with Dad

Out with Dad is a Canadian-based web series that revolves around the relationship of a single father and his teenage daughter who is coming to terms with her sexual orientation. The series explores themes of love, what it’s like to be a single parent, sexual orientation and sexuality.

The theme of coming out is also examined from both the perspective of Rose, the daughter, and Nathan, the single father. Throughout the series, Rose slowly but surely begins to explore her romantic feelings for other women. While Nathan, at least initially, is left self-critically examining the reasons why Rose might be gay. He then embarks on a journey of growth while trying to balance the need to support Rose and at the same time attend to his challenges and needs as a single father.

One of the wonderful features of Out With Dad is that it explores all of these themes sensitively within the context of a parent-child relationship. The series skilfully charts the tensions between the need for a teenager to become autonomous and create her own identity, while also still needing the love from her father, especially when trying to work out aspects of her sexual orientation.