The Daddy Issue: Our Relationships With Our Dads

For many gay men, our relationship with our dad is one of the most defining- and least talked about. In this episode, we explore the nuances of our relationships with our fathers through three core questions: How did your dad react when you came out? How do you express your gayness around him today? Does being gay impact the level of intimacy you have with your dad? From there, we go deeper into family dynamics, cultural expectations, and the different expressions of love and acceptance between fathers and their gay sons. We get into physical affection between fathers and sons, how much access we give them into our lives, and the boundaries we set as adults. We also explore how these early relationships can shape the kinds of men we’re attracted to… and the patterns we carry into dating and relationships. This is a grounded, honest conversation about the often complex and layered relationship between fathers and sons.  Today's Hosts: Matt Landsiedel Michael DiIorio - Take the 360° Self-Review for Gay Men Reno Johnston Support the Show - viewer and listener support helps us to continue making episodes - CONNECT WITH US - Watch podcast episodes on YouTube Join the Gay Men's Brotherhood Facebook community Get on our email list to get access to our monthly Zoom calls Follow us on Instagram | TikTok Learn more about our community at GayMenGoingDeeper.com - LEARN WITH US - Building Better Relationships online course: Learn how to nurture more meaningful and authentic connections with yourself and others. Healing Your Shame online course: Begin the journey toward greater confidence and self-worth by learning how to recognize and deal with toxic shame. Gay Men Going Deeper Coaching Collection: Lifetime access to BOTH courses + 45 coaching videos and 2 workshop series. Take the Attachment Style Quiz to determine your attachment style and get a free report. Chapters (00:00:00) - Going Deeper: The Daddy Issue(00:01:47) - Did Gay Men Need Daddies?(00:03:20) - How Did My Dad React To My Coming Out?(00:07:49) - How Did My Dad React To My Coming Out?(00:10:18) - Reno On Not Bringing Up Gay Issues With His Father(00:14:24) - When My Gay Friend Comes Out(00:14:43) - How Did My Dad React To Coming Out?(00:18:53) - Coming Out To My Dad(00:20:52) - How Do You Describe Your Gayness To Your Dad?(00:27:38) - How Do I Feel Representing My Gayness To My Dad?(00:31:14) - How My Parents Accept My Gay Love Life(00:33:37) - Do You Hold Back Your Gayness When You're Around Your Dad(00:37:56) - Adam Levine on Father-Son Conferences(00:42:40) - Does Being Gay Impact How You Experience Intimate Touch With Your Dad(00:45:32) - Does Being Gay Impact How I Experience Intimate With My Dad?(00:47:52) - Michael Jackson on His Dad's Love(00:51:09) - We Love You, Dads