‘Teen Mom’: Kailyn Lowry Feared She Put a ‘Target’ on Son Elliott’s Back With Podcast Episodes
In two heartfelt episodes of her podcast, Barely Famous, Teen Mom star Kailyn Lowry and her 15-year-old son, Elliott, shared a deeply personal conversation about Elliott’s journey to self-discovery. Elliott, formerly known as Isaac, publicly came out as gay and revealed his decision to adopt his middle name as his public identity. He explained that his former name no longer resonated with his true self, especially after growing up in the public eye as part of MTV’s 16 & Pregnant and Teen Mom 2. After the podcast episodes aired, Kailyn reflected on how she feared she would paint a “target” on her son’s back with the publicity. Here’s what she expressed.
‘Teen Mom’ star Kailyn Lowry had fears regarding the publicity of Elliott Rivera’s coming out announcement
Teen Mom star Kailyn Lowry invited her son, Elliott Rivera, on the Barely Famous podcast. Elliott discussed coming out as gay and going by his middle name. He also discussed the challenges he faced during his coming-out process, including being outed by a friend in fifth grade and having his prom photos leaked online, which deprived him of the agency to share his identity on his own terms. Despite these hardships, he expressed growth and resilience, stating that these experiences taught him valuable lessons in self-awareness and confidence.
Kailyn expressed unwavering support for her son, emphasizing that she didn’t need him to come out to her officially, and acknowledged the importance of sharing their story to foster greater awareness, inclusivity, and acceptance, particularly among families navigating similar journeys. However, she admitted to Teen Vogue that it was “scary” to have him on the podcast.
“That was a catch-22 for me because on one hand, obviously, you want to support him if this is what he wants to do, and I think that he’s brave for that,” she shared. “But on the other hand, it’s scary because the rights of the queer community are under attack. That’s really scary to open him up to more [of] a target on his back. That’s scary as a parent.”
Thankfully, Kailyn noted that she and Elliott experienced “nothing but positivity” following the podcast episodes.
Elliott Rivera hoped that his podcast episodes would promote ‘inclusivity and overall awareness’
Elliott Rivera covered a lot of ground as a guest star on Kailyn Lowry’s podcast. He shared that he hoped to come out on his own terms — openly, yet with a sense of personal privacy. Elliott also explained how he has additional boundaries for those who are aware of his Teen Mom past.
Ultimately, he hopes his podcast episodes can help others be more inclusive to the LGBTQIA+ community.
“I hope for inclusivity and overall awareness and just support for someone in a similar situation,” he told Teen Vogue. “To teach parents or friends [and] family to support them and help the person who wants to come out or is trying to figure themselves out to feel included, or feel like they have support.”
As for Kailyn, she hopes to reach other parents who may have had homophobic views. “I hope that other people will look at our story and say, ‘Oh, wow, I can love my child through this,'” she explained. “‘It doesn’t matter if they are part of the queer community.'”
Fans remain supportive of Kailyn Lowry’s son’s journey
Teen Mom star Kailyn Lowry is showing her fans her support for Elliott Rivera’s coming out journey. She posted clips and photos of Pride celebrations to her Instagram. While in the car and on the way to celebrate, Elliott noted that he felt relieved and excited to come forward with his identity.
“It’s such an individualized journey,” a fan on Reddit commented. “Good for Elliott for doing things the way his journey asked of him! I admit, I cried listening to the podcast. Such a self-assured, confident young man.”
“Elliott is such a sweet, kind, and loving kid,” another fan wrote. “I hope he gets everything he wants from life.”
For more news and exclusive interviews, follow Showbiz Cheat Sheet’s Instagram.
