REALITY TVKailyn Lowry's Son Elliot Rivera Reveals How Dad Jo and Family Reacted to Him Coming Out: 'It Was Very Awkward'
Elliot Rivera shared how his dad, Jo Rivera, and his family reacted to him coming out.
Teen Mom 2 alum Kailyn Lowry’s son Elliot Rivera, who was previously known as Isaac, shared how his dad Jo Rivera’s family reacted to him coming out as gay on a bonus episode of Kailyn’s “Barely Famous” podcast.
Elliot revealed Jo found out he was gay after being “outed” by a classmate in fifth grade but noted he wasn’t “fully out” until seventh grade.
'Certain Things That Bother Me'
Elliot Rivera said it bothers him when people talk about his relationship with Jo Rivera.
“There are certain things that bother me, like when people talk about you, or my relationship with my dad,” Elliot shared, as people have surmised online Jo would have an issue with Elliot's sexuality. “Like, just let me speak about it myself. You don’t need to say any of that…You don’t know me. You see me on social media and whatever, but you don’t hear me, you don’t know who I am unless I tell you. Unless I show you.”
While he didn’t specifically reveal how Jo feels about him being gay, he addressed how Jo’s sister and his grandmother Janet Rivera reacted.
Elliot's Grandma's Reaction
Janet Rivera 'brought religion' into the conversation when Elliot Rivera came out.
“My grandma, I love her to death,” Elliott began. “But, I didn’t love how she kind of brought religion into it…it was just very odd to me because before she started talking about that, she asked me about my beliefs, and I told her I’m not really spiritual and she started to bring God into the situation and I just thought it wasn’t necessary and it wasn’t related. She also kind of mentioned, like, I shouldn’t go and tell people that I’m gay because I don’t know who I am yet. She said it very subtly. It wasn’t direct. That’s what she was saying basically.”
Due to her reaction, Elliot revealed he avoided talking about his sexuality with Janet for a while.
“At the time, I wouldn’t,” he said. “But now I think that, since I’ve gotten older and I’m still gay, she realizes now that I am who I am and that’s not going to change. It’s OK now. She won’t do that anymore. But I think at the time it was hard for her. She didn’t know how to approach it.”
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'A Generation Older Than Me'
Kailyn Lowry spoke about her ex's mom's reaction.
Kailyn stepped in to say Janet is “from a generation older than me,” though she wasn't “justifying” or “excusing” her reaction.
“I told you my feelings when you originally told me that, but she does come from a different generation even above me,” she said. “And millennials are deconstructing all of this. It might have taken her time to come to terms with it, unfortunately.”
'It Was Very Awkward'
Elliot Rivera siad it was 'awkward' until his grandmother came to terms with him being gay.
“Leading up to the point where she could come to terms with it, it was very awkward,” Elliot replied. “She would try to talk about it a little bit, but it was very awkward, considering the conversation we had. It would always be her that would bring it up first. I think it was her way of trying to make me feel comfortable around her with it. But it wasn’t her fault it didn’t work. I think it just needed time.”
As far as his aunt goes, Elliot stated she was “shocked” but “took it well.”
