‘Teen Mom’ Kailyn Lowry Details ‘Really Good’ Conversation With Jo Rivera After Son Elliott Came Out

Kailyn Lowry and Jo Rivera first rose to public attention as young parents on MTV’s 16 and Pregnant, later becoming central figures on Teen Mom 2. Their early relationship was marked by the typical struggles of teenage parenthood, compounded by personal differences and the pressures of reality TV. Despite a rocky start, including custody disputes and communication breakdowns, the two have evolved into more cooperative co-parents for the sake of their son, Elliott. Recently, Kailyn opened up about speaking to Jo about Elliott coming out via her podcast. Here’s what she shared.

‘Teen Mom’ star Kailyn Lowry explained how she had a ‘really good’ conversation with ex Jo Rivera about son Elliott

Kailyn Lowry and Jo Rivera have been in the spotlight on MTV since 2010. After the birth of their son in 2010, Isaac, who now goes by his middle name, Elliott, the strain on Kailyn and Jo’s relationship quickly intensified. What began as a young couple trying to navigate unexpected parenthood soon unraveled under the weight of financial stress, emotional immaturity, and conflicting priorities. Living together in Jo’s family home added pressure, and frequent arguments often left little room for stability. As Kailyn pursued independence and eventually moved out, the divide between them deepened, leading to a volatile co-parenting relationship marked by custody battles and resentment.

During Pride Month in 2025, Elliott came out as gay via Kailyn’s Barely Famous podcast. He announced he now goes by his middle name and discussed his experience growing up on TV. Fans loved seeing Elliott live authentically and praised Kailyn for giving him a safe outlet.

Kailyn spoke to Parade about the conversation she had with Jo following their son’s announcement.

“Jo and I had a really good conversation [the other day], and, you know, he said that he listened to the episodes,” Kailyn told the publication. “He was really proud of Elliott, and he said that he was happy. He was perfectly fine with the questions that were being asked; he understands why Elliott wanted to do it. … I had the conversation with him, and he came up to me, you know? And he said that he’s supportive of it.”

Kailyn added that she believes her son feels “a sense of relief” after coming out publicly. “He was like, ‘I just want to help one person. If I could do that, then I feel like I did what I was supposed to do,'” she added.

Kailyn Lowry previously revealed that she and Jo Rivera ‘don’t communicate’

Kailyn Lowry and Jo Rivera didn’t sustain a friendship after their breakup. In April 2024, the Teen Mom star revealed on her Coffee Convos podcast that she and Jo have “no communication.”

“Jo and I don’t communicate,” Kailyn said, according to The Ashley’s Reality Roundup. “Like, we have no communication whatsoever. We don’t talk.”

Kailyn added that she had a “cordial” co-parenting relationship with Javi Marroquin. And her relationship with Jo paled in comparison.

“Me and Javi are — you guys know — strictly email [communication only]. We are so cordial,” she said. “We may not be friendly in public, but if Lincoln is there and we need to have a face-to-face conversation, like at a sporting event or whatever, we are cordial, straight to the point, no extra bulls***. We don’t fight.”

The ‘Teen Mom’ star previously revealed co-parenting issues

Kailyn Lowry and Jo Rivera seem to have better co-parenting now that Elliott is in his teens. However, they had issues in the past. The Teen Mom star previously revealed how she and Jo attempted counseling to help them parent their son.

“Jo and I are not on the same page about any type of parenting,” Kailyn said on Teen Mom 2 in 2020, according to In Touch Weekly. “There’s no consistency, which is something I didn’t have from my mom and my dad. [Jo] is so adamant about keeping the weeks what they are, but he’s so lenient with other things. He has a lot of built-up animosity, and resentment, and whatever else toward me.”

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