A father's story and more...
Van Kirby is a successful Indianapolis business owner and contributor to civic causes. He is gay. But in the 1970s, he was also the father of four children who needed a more stable home. This is the story of how, against all odds, Van fought for and won the right to raise his children. It is also an extraordinarily unvarnished story of coming of age-and coming out-when being gay wasn't cool. It's a story of family: how Van and his longtime partner, Dan, made a life for those kids, and for themselves. Now, as gay couples fight for marriage equality, Van Kirby's trailblazing experience can serve as inspiration for anyone who has ever wondered about who they are or where they fit.
Van Kirby continues with his partner of 41 years, Dan Detrick, to manage a hair styling salon in Indianapolis' Broad Ripple. He and Dan now divide their time between homes in Broad Ripple and Sarasota, Florida.
David Hoppe is an award-winning author, journalist and playwright. He writes a weekly column for NUVO, the Indianapolis alternative weekly and is the author of Food for Thought: An Indiana Harvest.
His essays and short fiction have appeared in such publications as Notre Dame Review, Utne Reader, New Art Examiner, Traces, and Library Journal.