A tender and powerful glimpse into one gay Irish Traveller’s journey through identity, tradition, and truth. Coming out at 20, Johnny faced not just the fear of rejection, but the cultural weight of silence. His mother suggested keeping it a secret from his father—but when the truth came out, his father’s response was unexpectedly powerful.
‘Stop crying. Stop crying, son.’ He said, ‘There’s nothing wrong with you. If you go around thinking there’s something wrong with you, you’re going to be a very unhappy person”.
Wow. So touching. So sad at first, in ways all of us understand – knowing you’re different but not exactly sure how, hearing the jokes and harsh names for guys like you that make it clear you can’t expose your true identity. But the story became a happy one. I’m so glad you had the self confidence to come out. And I’m so happy your parents and community supported you. You’re a beautiful person, inside and out. Thank you, Johnny, so much for sharing your story.
I love Johnny’s story. I relate to it. I was a son of sharcroppers. Hard work and no understanding of what I was feeling, even though it started early in my head.
Bless you Johnny for sharing. I wish you and your partner all the happiness in the world!
A beautifully sincere and intimate portrait of a brave young man. I hope that a long and wonderful life lies ahead for him and his husband.