Uploaded August 2014 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
I have struggled to put into words what this young man means to me so Ill just let my thought's pour on to the page. Bryan and I made a decision to document our family on youtube from a very selfish place. Our family was living our lives just fine before a little thing called "prop 8" came along. We felt attacked by this bigoted hateful law and felt the need to respond. "Gay Family Values" was born. Then the letters and emails started flowing in, by the hundred's. Most were from young LGBT teens who were mostly still struggling with the fact that they were gay. We received so many heart felt letters at times it felt overwhelming. So many seemed surprised that they could be gay and still have kids, a family, hold on to all the values passed on to them from their families. For so many of us being gay feels like a choice between who you have been raised to be and a lifestyle.
Then one morning I logged on to YouTube to find a video from a young man named Dylan. This was the first video that we had ever received from a still closeted teen who was struggling with his homosexuality. He told us a story about how sad he felt and how he was going to ask his parents to put him into an "Ex Gay Therapy" group so that he could become straight like all his friends and family. He spent weeks researching such programs until he came across our families YouTube page. He then went on to express his thoughts and feelings about what my family means to him.
What Dylan doesn't understand is that his video is one of the most valuable gifts ill ever receive. As a teen I hated being gay and wanted to be straight more then anything. After failing miserably, I made several failed attempts to take my own life. I have lived in that dark place where the thought of being gay feels like a betrayal. I have had the ability through our YouTube channel to change many young peoples attitudes on what it means to be gay. Over the years we have gotten to meet a lot of the young men we have mentored and I am always amazed how incredible they are.
Last night we got the opportunity to meet Dylan "Thatawkward1" and what an amazing young man he is. I look forward to watching his journey as he goes off to college and continues to show the world what it means to be a young confident gay man. Thank you Dylan for taking the time to thank us.
Gay Family Values
PO BOX 14926
Santa Rosa CA 95402
I have struggled to put into words what this young man means to me so Ill just let my thought's pour on to the page. Bryan and I made a decision to document our family on youtube from a very selfish place. Our family was living our lives just fine before a little thing called "prop 8" came along. We felt attacked by this bigoted hateful law and felt the need to respond. "Gay Family Values" was born. Then the letters and emails started flowing in, by the hundred's. Most were from young LGBT teens who were mostly still struggling with the fact that they were gay. We received so many heart felt letters at times it felt overwhelming. So many seemed surprised that they could be gay and still have kids, a family, hold on to all the values passed on to them from their families. For so many of us being gay feels like a choice between who you have been raised to be and a lifestyle.
Then one morning I logged on to YouTube to find a video from a young man named Dylan. This was the first video that we had ever received from a still closeted teen who was struggling with his homosexuality. He told us a story about how sad he felt and how he was going to ask his parents to put him into an "Ex Gay Therapy" group so that he could become straight like all his friends and family. He spent weeks researching such programs until he came across our families YouTube page. He then went on to express his thoughts and feelings about what my family means to him.
What Dylan doesn't understand is that his video is one of the most valuable gifts ill ever receive. As a teen I hated being gay and wanted to be straight more then anything. After failing miserably, I made several failed attempts to take my own life. I have lived in that dark place where the thought of being gay feels like a betrayal. I have had the ability through our YouTube channel to change many young peoples attitudes on what it means to be gay. Over the years we have gotten to meet a lot of the young men we have mentored and I am always amazed how incredible they are.
Last night we got the opportunity to meet Dylan "Thatawkward1" and what an amazing young man he is. I look forward to watching his journey as he goes off to college and continues to show the world what it means to be a young confident gay man. Thank you Dylan for taking the time to thank us.
Gay Family Values
PO BOX 14926
Santa Rosa CA 95402
