On a new bonus episode of Kail Lowry‘s Barely Famous podcast, her son Elliott (who went by his first name Isaac while appearing on Teen Mom 2 as a kid) revealed how his father’s side of the family has handled his coming out.
As The Ashley previously reported, Elliott officially “came out” as gay on last Friday’s episode of his mom’s podcast. This week, a bonus episode of the podcast was released that contained more content from Elliott’s interview, including the 15-year-old discussing how those related to his dad, Jo Rivera, reacted to the news that he is gay.
Elliott stated that his dad found out he was gay after Elliott was “outed” by a classmate in fifth grade. However, he stated that he wasn’t “fully out” until seventh grade. While Elliott didn’t discuss his dad Jo’s feelings about his sexuality, he did reveal how Jo’s mom and sister took the news.
“There are certain things that bother me, like when people talk about you, or my relationship with my dad,” Elliott said. (In Part 1 of the interview, he stated that people on social media have frequently commented that they believe Jo would be upset that his son is gay, or something of that nature.)
“Like, just let me speak about it myself,” he stated. “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.”
Elliott— who stated during Part 1 that he is now going by his middle name because he likes it more, and to hopefully distance himself from who he was on ‘Teen Mom 2’ as a kid— revealed that Jo’s mom Janet struggled a bit when he came out to her years ago.
(Fans first met Janet during Kail’s 16 and Pregnant episode in 2010. She went on to appear frequently during the early seasons of ‘Teen Mom 2.’)
View this post on Instagram
“My grandma, I love her to death,” Elliott said of Janet, who moved to Delaware a few years ago to be closer to Jo and his family. “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.
“And 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,” Elliott said. “She said it very subtly. It wasn’t direct. That’s what she was saying basically.”
Elliott said Janet’s reaction made him avoid discussing his sexuality with her 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.
“She’s from a generation older than me, and I’m not justifying it or excusing it,” Kail told her son of his grandma. “I told you my feelings when you originally told me that, but she does come from a different generation even above me. And millennials are deconstructing all of this. It might have taken her time to come to terms with it, unfortunately.”
Kail and Elliott confirmed that his relationship with his Grandma Janet now is solid.
View this post on Instagram
“Leading up to the point where she could come to terms with it, it was very awkward,” he said. “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.”
Elliott didn’t reveal how his grandpa Eddie reacted to the news, but he did share that another family member was “shocked” when he told her.
“The only person I can think of that reacted a little, like, shocked…was my TiTi,” he said, adding that she was the first family member that he came out to, after Kail.
View this post on Instagram
(While Elliott didn’t specifically name the family member, “TiTi” is often the word used in Spanish-speaking cultures for “aunt.” Jo has a sister, Crystal, so that’s likely who Elliott is speaking about here.)
“She took it well obviously, she made me feel good about it, like you did,” Elliott said to his mom. “I feel very comfortable around her and stuff. I think she was a little surprised. We don’t see each other as often so it’s hard to catch up. So I think the time that I told her, it was shocking…I think the way I told her it might have been shocking for her. But she’s very loving and accepting about it.”
During Part 1, Elliott disputed fans’ claims that things that Kail— or Jo— did or didn’t do “made” him gay.
“People have said that you weren’t around your dad enough, or that I was doing certain things in my parenthood that ‘turned’ you gay. Do you feel like any of that is true?” Kail asked.
“No!” Elliott said, reminding fans that his parents have 50/50 custody of him and that’s he’s spent equal time with them.
“I think people confuse who they’re around, the parent, they confuse it with masculinity. It’s not about sexuality; it’s about how masculine/feminine they are,” he said.
Jo has not spoken publicly since Elliott publicly came out.
To read about what was discussed in Part 1 of the episode, click here.
(Photos: Instagram; TikTok)
32 Responses
Janet was right to bring God up…Elliott should think about the eternal repercussions of this decision.
It’s a much better thing to be single, straight, unhappy and to have to hope of eternal salvation as opposed to gay, happy and have no hope of eternal salvation
That is such a sad and fucked up way of thinking. And just so you’re aware, according to your God all sins are created equal, so you being a judgy little shit is just as ‘evil’ as being gay.
It’s not judgy when it’s the truth sweetie…yes all sin is bad BUT to continually sin (through an abomination such as homosexuality) it WILL send you straight to hell…that comes straight from the head judge, jury and executioner aka GOD
Oh, Karol. I can’t wait to see you in hell. Especially when you believe something invisible controls everything in the world.
He’s not invisible…just look around you at the people existing alongside you, look at the trees, the flowers, the sun, the moon, the stars, etc, feel the air…that’s God’s creation…He doesn’t control us…we have freewill…but He has the freewill to pass judgment on us for not living up to His standards…and He will
Absolutely disturbing thing to say to a child .it’s better to be single straight and unhappy you say.Grow up !!!
I’m sorry, I guess I’d just rather have the hope of Jesus when I die…something a gay or lesbian WONT HAVE
You’re suggesting it’s better to be unhappy over choosing to be who you are and happy and confident just in case your god; that he doesn’t believe in, exists. If your God is real, and supposedly all loving, and he thinks the way you do about gay people should choose single and unhappy over happy and genuine love, I wanna spend eternity in hell with my daughter bc that kind of god is the evil one.
I totally understand him wanting to distance himself from Teen Mom and he seems like a nice young man… but doing his moms podcast is never going to do that. She will ALWAYS be affiliated with that show. It’s an interesting situation to be honest. His mom has never met unwanted attention and it all feels exploitive of her son’s personal life. The whole thing feels contradictory. It could be on the level, but I find her very hard to trust.
I hope this news doesn’t affect Jo’s music career negatively. I also this think this may be the start of a domino affect of coming out gay in the franchises, your up next Tyler.
stay lit
Lol
Poor Isaac. He should have been raised by jo and his family.
He was
Elliot is one of the sweetest angel babies of LIFE in my eyes. I say just let the kids be kids and do kid things and give them every opportunity to thrive and forge their own paths. I know hands down that regardless of the constant of “TM Drama”, Elliot will be one of the TM kids who will grow into a smart, kind, hard working young person. The only thing that saddens me so much is that his Grandma chose to bring religion into things. Why is it that people who have a nice laundry list of stuff to be judged on are sometimes the most judgmental? Whether you are religious or not, or whatever you choose to believe in, I think one sure thing, IF you are religious is that judgement is GODS job, so until GOD calls me up and says “Hey, I’m running behind on judgement, can you help”, I will know I can have my opinions (which I easily share on this site! ha!), but judgement is GOD’s. GOD does not need my help lol.
You go on an THRIVE Elliot! Just be happy! GOD loves you. 🙂
Elliott is incredibly insightful, level-headed, smart, and articulate. What a wonderful young man. I wish him the best and I hope he lives a very happy life.
This generation it’s sad but they’re not growing up learning about the connect they should have with the lord! Kail set a horrible example of a revolving door of men in his life!
This is very sad …. Elliott doesn’t owe us anything yet feels the need to explain himself. Wish he could just have the freedom to just be.
My mother is from the Dominican Republic, I don’t fault Janet for not fully accepting Elliot at first. We are a somewhat religious country that have strong beliefs. I never forget how well she treated Kail when she was pregnant. I bet Joe thans God daily that he only has one kid with Kail and found Vee.
I know Elliott is young so I won’t judge him for this but don’t think it’s right for him to be broadcasting such a personal, private conversation he had with his members of his non-public family. Janet hasn’t been on the show for over 10 years. Now she’s going to get attacked by internet trolls for him stating that she asked him about spirituality and God when we don’t even know the context or how exactly the conversation went down.
I’m sure there were discussions between the two of them regarding this, and had Janet not wanted Elliot to speak of her, he wouldn’t have. He seems to be keeping things private regarding those who may not want to be part of the conversation right now. This young man has every right to speak his truth.
He’s a sweet, articulate young man. He seems like a good egg.
I feel like isaac was exploited as a child by his mother and now as a teenager and his parent is exploiting his sexuality… I think that’s worse than being a deadbeat, mother
I agree, 15 yrs old..gay or not..keep your business personal..even 30 etc..I just don’t think he owes any explanation for his life..to be on social media and talk about coming out..let’s just live life and be who you are privately..
I don’t understand posting about everything like this. Like, I kind of get it. They’re in the spotlight, I guess, and he wanted to address it. And maybe I’m just a private person. But I don’t tell anybody anything about my children unless said child gives permission for it to be known. If it’s something small, I don’t even tell their dad.
It sounds like he has been out to his family for years. Glad to hear he’s still close to Janet!
All the best, Elliot
I wasn’t surprised, remember how much he loved Kail’s wedding dress? He was so adorable and sweet and kind as a child. I’m sure he still is but he was definitely one of my favorites as a child bc he was such a sweetheart.
I wasn’t either.I thought he was as soon as I saw his first instagram reel
I think everyone on social media need to stop putting his mother down you guys act like she is a revolving door with men and she hasn’t there hasn’t been many men in her life and she deserves to have someone just like everybody else deserves to be loved and it’s no one’s business who she’s with or how many she’s with that has nothing to do with her mothering her children or what kind of mother she is to her children it’s not her fault that the men she has chosen are complete dick heads and if they’re not treating her well ain’t it best for the children that she gets rid of them instead of keeping a toxic relationship around her children I think she’s a very good mother I think she’s one of the best mothers on teen Mom 2 and she’s got the best relationship with her children than most of the mothers and that show. Elliot and Kail’s don’t owe you guys shit. you guys need to stop coming for his mother and for him she didn’t make him this way he was born this way get it through your thick heads.
Kail is a revolving door for any man that will have her. As her Mom, she is showing her children how to go from partner to partner starting at a young age, not to marry them (except for Javi), put all your private business on your podcast, and make as much money as possible off all those kids you had. The worst thing she did was to tell Elliot was to not tell his story on Instagram or Tictok, but wait to tell it ON HER PODCAST SO HE COULD MAKE MONEY FROM HIS STORY! Then, she has as much if not more than he does about his coming out story! With the exception of Amber Portwood, Kail is in last place for the “Best Mom Award”. Jo and Vee need 100% custody with Kail not being able to have him on her podcast. Javi should have custody of Lincoln. I don’t know about the other Dad’s because I quit watching the last few seasons Kail was on Teen Mom 2. That girl needs help and needs to go to therapy!
Get your facts straight ! Elliott ” came to his mother/Kail & asked to be on the podcast”
Kail didn’t have to say yes though Mary