Nuclear Family
Ry Russo-Young turns the camera on her own past to explore the meaning of family. In the late 70s/early 80s, when the concept of a gay family was inconceivable to most, Ry and her sister Cade were born to two lesbian mothers through sperm donors. Ry’s idyllic childhood was threatened by an unexpected lawsuit which sent shockwaves through her family’s lives and continues to reverberate today.
Overview
Ry Russo-Young turns the camera on her own past to explore the meaning of family. In the late 70s/early 80s, when the concept of a gay family was inconceivable to most, Ry and her sister Cade were born to two lesbian mothers through sperm donors. Ry’s idyllic childhood was threatened by an unexpected lawsuit which sent shockwaves through her family’s lives and continues to reverberate today.
Liz Garbus
Creator / EP
Ry Russo-Young
Producer
Episodes
1. Episode 1
Lesbian partners Robin and Sandy must fight for their family when their donor pursues rights over their daughter Ry’s life.
2. Episode 2
Nine-year-old Ry finds herself at the center of a four-year lawsuit that threatens her family’s very existence.
3. Episode 3
Following a landmark court decision, Ry grapples with her sperm donor’s terminal illness and its implications for her future.
Cast & Crew
Sandy Russo
Self
Robin Young
Self
Ry Russo-Young
Self
Cade Russo-Young
Self
Tom Steel
Self (archive footage)
Jacob Aaron Estes
Self
