Older Grandparents Come Out, If They Waited Anymore…..
They say it’s never too late to come out, and that maxim gets explored to hilarious effect in the comedic Canadian web series Stories From My Gay Grandparents.
Nearly 50 years ago, Russell (musical Come From Away‘s James Kall) and Barbara Butters (Fellow Travelers‘s Jane Moffat) got married, started a family, and led your typical, suburban heteronormative lives—at least that’s what it always looked like to their queer grandkids Mason (The Handmaid’s Tale‘s Scott Farley) and Rebecca Michelle (Avocado Toast‘s Perrie Voss).
But after a near-death experience, they decide it’s finally time to ditch the “beards” and live their lives to the fullest. So, they show up at Mason and Rebecca Michell’s door in Toronto the big news…
Surprise! They’re gay! Extremely gay. And they always have been. In actuality, they’re longtime gay besties who, half a century ago, decided to “cover for each other” and just sort of, well, stuck with it.
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Mason and Rebecca Michelle are shocked, to say the least, and also overwhelmed as they find themselves playing both babysitters and mentors to their grandparents who are effectively “baby gays” in our modern queer world.
Oh, sure, Russell and Barbara have had their secret flings over the decades, but now they’re finally ready to live out and proud, looking for guidance from their grandkids as they embrace their authentic, “extremely gay selves.”
Stories From My Gay Grandparents gives viewers a golden oldie view of today’s LGBTQ+ community, all of its beauty—and absurdities. Check out the official trailer for the web series here:
Over the course of 10 fun-sized episodes (all ranging between 8-13 minutes long), Russell and Barbara fret over how to meet people on the apps, learn the lay of the land in Toronto’s historic gay village, try to tie up loose ends with past lovers, experience their first drag show, reclaim the homophobic slurs that have been flung at them in the past, visit the queer nude beach, and find themselves getting competitive over who’s doing “gay” better. Created, written, and produced by stars Scott Farley and Perrie Voss, the fun and colorful. series aims to clear a path for those who have struggled to come out—at any age—to step into their queerness and their power.
“As queer filmmakers, we aim to share our stories on screen so that everyone can feel seen,” Farley and Voss share in their artists’ statement. “For generations, the decision to remain hidden or come out of the closet has been at the center of the queer community. As more of us become visible and increasingly accepted, a growing number of people have begun to step into the light by sharing their authentic selves.”
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They continue: “This late-in-life coming out story is a funny yet truthful look at gay culture through various generations. We hope it makes you laugh, cry, and burst with joy as you watch our grandparents, Barbara and Russell, develop new relationships with everyone around them, including themselves.”
Stories From My Gay Grandparents made its world premiere earlier this year to a sold-out crowd at Toronto’s Inside Out LGBTQ+ film festival, and just recently made its way stateside for San Francisco’s Frameline48.
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And now that web series is online, in all its gay glory, you can check it out for yourself! The first episode is below, and it’s part of a handy YouTube playlist where you can find all 10 episodes in one place.
So, binge-watch away! And don’t forget to follow Stories From My Gay Grandparents on social media so you can follow along with fun video clips and all the latest news about the series.
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