We believe mothers and sons deserve to be honored through the stories they share.
It’s a truism that our earliest selves are shaped in large part by our bonds with our parents, and nowhere is this more true than when a son is gay. What happens between him and his mother can open a lifetime of security and acceptance… or presage a difficult and painful journey to adulthood and beyond.
Gay Sons and Mothers collects, curates, discusses, celebrates, and preserves narratives that educate, inspire, and bring hope to audiences around the globe. Gay Sons and Mothers chronicles lived experiences of pain, joy, and persistence that inspire and provide a sense of hope.
Storytelling helps people make sense of their world and learn how others faced challenges and grew stronger as a result. Gay Sons and Mothers is honored to join a proud tradition of preserving and passing along stories that reflect the strengths and struggles related to the formation of sexual identity and sexual expression in the context of the parent-child relationship. Our stories are powerful because they are transformative, and allow audiences to experience something profound.
A Word from the Community
Who are we? We’re people everywhere on the LGBTQ+ spectrum—Black, white, Latinx, Asian, teenagers and octogenarians. What unites us is our recognition that our first guide to finding our place in the world was our mother, and our relationship with her the most fundamental one that can launch us into the world with pride and confidence … or leave us needing to find acceptance with other people.
And we are mothers. Mothers who have stood up to claim that the love we have for our children is beautiful and awe-inspiring.
Hear our voices, and come celebrate with us!
Gay Sons and Mothers is a 501-©3 nonprofit organization created to educate and inspire, not just gay men and their families, but whole communities about what diversity and acceptance look like—and why it’s so spectacularly important.
We’re glad you’re here with us on the journey!
TEDxTalk: The Mother Factor: Acceptance Works Both Ways
Mom is the person who potentially has the greatest impact on her son’s life and his psychological well-being- especially in communities where he has been treated unfairly due to being gay.
Up until well into the '70s, the medical community blamed mothers for “making" their sons gay. Imagine the impact this had on women, their husbands, and their sons!
So you’d think that a lot of mothers would be rejecting their sons, but historically that isn’t true.
The healthiest relationship is when both the mother and the son offer each other total acceptance and unconditional love.