Immaculate Misconception

<p><span style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>In the early 1980's 95% of all artificial inseminations were performed for married heterosexual couples. Among the other 5% were people like Gwen's parents- lesbians navigating a homophobic medical system ready to deny them children.</span></p><p><br></p><p><span style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>They found a doctor willing to perform the procedure in secret using sperm from an anonymous donor. Periodically Gwen wondered if she resembled her donor - what he might look like how he might walk what he might say if they met. But there were no records.</span></p><p><br></p><p><span style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>Gwen's childhood was filled with questions she couldn't easily answer:</span></p><p><br></p><p><em style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>Who's your dad?</em></p><p><em style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>Which parent do you look like?</em></p><p><em style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>Do you have siblings?</em></p><p><em style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>Where were you born?</em></p><p><br></p><p><span style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>And the infamous one: </span><em style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>Are you going to be gay because your parents are?</em></p><p><br></p><p><span style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>She grew up straddling two worlds. In one-rainbow flags waved and love made a family. In the other- she and her family tried to fit in with everyone else.</span></p><p><br></p><p><span style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>Eventually Gwen stopped asking questions about her biology. She knew who she was and where she came from. On a whim she sent in a DNA kit and found ten biological siblings. New questions surfaced:</span></p><p><br></p><p><em style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>What does biology have to do with belonging?</em></p><p><em style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>What do we suppress to secure our safety? And what is the cost later down the line?</em></p><p><br></p><p><span style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>Immaculate Misconception isn't just a window into a sliver of queer history it raises questions we all grapple with: who we are and the forces that influence us. It's a reflection on nature nurture identity and belonging.</span></p>