'Doc McStuffins' Creator Chris Nee Explains Her Work: 'I'm Writing About Communities, and What It Is To Be Accepted When You Are Not the Same'

Chris Nee, TV writer and producer and the creator of Doc McStuffins and the Ada Twist, Scientist series on Netflix, grew up as a queer kid in the '70s and '80s and knows what it's like to be left out conversations and mainstream media. But when she had the chance to provide representation for marginalized communities, she knew queerness would still need to take a back seat.

"I couldn't represent my own family, but I knew that there were so many other groups that were not seeing themselves on screen, and I had the opportunity to make choices to change that," Nee told Parents digital content director and host Julia Dennison on the latest episode of Parents's podcast We Are Family.

Nee has made it her mission to change what is considered "normal" when it comes to families. But she isn't just providing representation for the kids who need to see themselves, she's writing for herself. "I'm 100 percent writing my own pain. And I carry open wounds from having felt very, very on the outside and uncomfortable with myself. So I certainly know what it is to not see myself," Nee says.

"The recurring theme in my work is I'm really writing about communities, and what it is to be accepted when you are not the same."

Check out We Are Family Episode 16 now for more with Chris Nee on co-parenting, raising the next generation, and honoring identity.

Listen to We Are Family on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart, TuneIn, Stitcher, Google, and everywhere podcasts are available.

Listen to Season 2, Episode 16 right now: