‘I was torn between my husband and my child.’
‘I was torn between my husband and my child.’
These are the words of Carolyn, a Catholic mother who now regrets disowning her gay son, David.
Speaking as a part of Eric Kruszewski’s documentary on LEAD, an LGBTI group in Saint Matthew’s Catholic Church, she talks about her family and the moment she found out about her son’s sexuality.
‘The time that we found out about David’s homosexuality was very, very difficult. We happened to be away at the time, and his sister came home, and he was entertaining a young man in the house,’ she said.
‘It was very hard for my husband to accept the fact he did this in the house. He wanted a nice home where everyone got along and everybody was upstanding in the community.
‘To him being gay meant you were not a member of the proper society. My husband got very angry and asked David to leave. I was torn between my husband and my child.’
Carolyn added: ‘Later on, he and I sat down and had a talk and he asked, Why didn’t you defend me in front of Dad?’ I didn’t defend you in front of you, but I certainly talked to your father. I wasn’t sure he really accepted that. I’m still in contact with him, I wouldn’t say we were what you would call close.’
While Carolyn is still a Catholic, she says her feelings towards religion has ‘matured considerably’.
‘I don’t accept homosexuals are bad,’ she says. ‘I just want the same opportunities for my gay and straight children in the church.’
