Real-life Almost Family members upset by Fox drama

The Indianapolis Star

Although Almost Family is based on the Australian drama Sisters, much of the Fox series mirrors the story of Dr. Donald L. Cline, an Indianapolis fertility doctor who deceptively fathered at least 50 children through artificial insemination using his own sperm. According to The Indianapolis star, Cline pleaded guilty in December 2017 to two counts of obstruction of justice for lying to investigators, receiving a suspended one-year sentence and no jail time. Victims of Cline are angered that Almost Family plays their situation for laughs with awkward scenarios. As one of Cline's victims has pointed out, her experience was like being raped. “He was an old man to me. I did not want his semen," said Liz White, who was unknowingly inseminated, in pushing for legislation to make Cline's action a felony. "I don’t care how it came into my body. It was against my knowledge. It was against my consent.” One of Cline's children, Jacoba Ballard, called for a boycott of the premiere earlier this month, tweeting: "This show dehumanizes our experiences and is very upsetting when you are truly living this nightmare. Let’s not forget this is adding to rape culture and fertility fraud and downplaying real life experiences as a comedy."