Actress Kerry Washington was preparing to be part of a TV show that looks into people’s lineage, helping them determine their ancestry and understand more about where they came from. But, as she talked to her parents about getting DNA samples from them, she noticed they started to look for ways to avoid it. They were evasive, and seemed like they wanted her to refuse to participate in the show.

Little did Washington know at the time, they felt that way because they had used a sperm donor to have her, and had kept it a secret. It’s likely they would have never told her, but eventually they had to. The DNA results confirmed that the man she had known as her father for her entire life wasn’t biologically related to her at all. Now she’s writing a book about her experience, and the struggles and feelings that come from the discovery.

Ultimately, Washington chose not to go through with the show, which was called Finding Your Roots. But she has the DNA information she needs to learn more about her biological family. Her parents didn’t tell her the truth until she was in her 40s, and now she’s looking for the missing piece of her biological puzzle. She loves her parents, and isn’t trying to find a “father” in the sperm donor. But she wants to find out more about who she is, and where she came from.

Her parents were uncomfortable telling her about choosing sperm donation, which wasn’t so outwardly discussed at the time they made the choice to pursue that route of starting their family. However, they decided to tell her because she could tell that something was wrong when she wanted to get DNA information for the show. With her parents acting strangely and being argumentative, it was easy to see that there were issues she wasn’t aware of.

Now that she knows the truth, she says she doesn’t have a big emotional attachment to finding the donor. While she’d like to, she doesn’t spend a lot of time thinking about it. Still, she admits she may feel differently if she ever meets them in person.

The donation contracts we write for our clients are comprehensive and in-depth. We also help parents through the paternity determination process, which can be daunting and confusing. Contact us today to learn more!