Couple Are Married for 20 Years—Then Both Reveal Same Secret
newsweek.comTikTok with their story, spoke to Newsweek about their decades-long coming out journeys and how they're now navigating the transition from romantic to platonic partners."1999: I feel so safe with you.
I wonder what we'll be like in 25 years?" Mary captioned a the clip summarizing their journey, which has reached over 1.1 million viewers.The 42-year-old told Newsweek she had known she was gay since her early teens but had dismissed her feelings, convincing herself that all women felt similarly about other women.
For Chris, also 42, the realization of his identity as a gay man came even earlier in life, but he kept it buried under societal and familial expectations.It wasn't until late 2023, after years of self-reflection, that Mary mustered the courage to come out to Chris."I was terrified of his reaction but knew I couldn't keep this secret from my best friend in the entire world any longer," she said.
Her honestly was well-received."Mary, it's OK, really." Chris told her. "I truly believe everyone falls on a spectrum when it comes to sexuality."The two cried and held each other in their living room and Mary said she was "filled with immense relief." While she began to embrace her identity, Chris wrestled with his until February 2024, when he admitted to Mary that he too was gay.Their revelations could have shattered their relationship but instead became the foundation of a new and deeply supportive one.Initially, they considered staying married to preserve their family unit, but both realized that they couldn't live authentically as a couple.
