Gay Men Going Deeper9 Tammi 2025

Mom, I'm Gay

Coming out to our families can be one of the most difficult experiences we navigate as queer folk. Sometimes it can be made even more difficult if the people we are opening up to are challenged by it, or don’t understand it. Other times, we may find ourselves in the company of people who do understand, or simply meet our openness with their own. Or, in this case, sometimes what we experience is a combination of both.

This is a unique episode, because today our co-host Reno is sitting down with none other than HIS MOM to have a conversation about being different, growing up gay and queer, how she navigated his queerness as a parent, and how they both navigated his queerness as parent and child.

Allison Johnston is a mother, grandmother, social worker, advocate, and sage.

In this episode, we dive into…

When she knew I was different.
When she knew I was gay.
What some of the signs were.
Life growing up.
Coming out.
How she and my family and friends experienced my coming out.
Whether she struggled with it or not, and who did.
What some of my own struggles were.
What it was like being the mother of a queer child.
What wisdom we might offer family members relating to queerness.

Today's Guest: Allison Johnston

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Today's Host: Reno Johnston

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