Coming Out Stories

In this episode, we meet a woman who comes out to her mother, who has a fatal brain disease and about one year to live, and her sister as well.

Chris Cabaldon is the mayor of West Sacramento. Early in his career, he forfeited a personal life in order to enter politics. Now a respected mayor at age 40, Chris is unwilling to continue living a lie.

Xavior is a counselor at a gay rights organization in Harlem, helping young men come out to their families. But his Jamaican heritage keeps him in fear of his own coming out.

Tom, a public speaking professor at a Kansas community college, encounters traditional Bible Belt values everywhere, including within his own family. Even his sister Gina, his closest relative and best friend, does not know he is gay.

Scott and his wife Tracy were married for 11 years and had 3 kids. Now divorced, they share joint custody of the children and maintain a rocky relationship.

For years, Van has hidden the fact that she is gay from her identical twin sister. Van is a liberal and a lesbian; her sister is conservative and straight. Van has tried a number of times to come out to her sister, "the other half of my egg," but has never been able to get the words out.

Devin is very close to her traditional Korean mother - she even has her mom's name tattooed down her arm. But she's terrified to come out to her -- so much so that she won't hold hands with her girlfriend if there are any Asians within sight in case word gets back home.

Trish, aka Feloni, is a rising performer in the Detroit hip-hop scene. Although she is already out in the male dominated world of hip-hop and she raps openly about her sexuality, her family remains in the dark.