Colman Domingo recalls coming out to his family in a home that was full of love. “You’re a good boy and there’s nothing you can tell me that would make me stop loving you.”
“It was Derek (his older brother) who he first came out to in the early 90s. His older brother had taken him to a strip club, when Domingo asked him to go outside. He hadn’t come out to anyone at this point and there was some trepidation about admitting his sexuality to his tough, older brother. But he knew he ‘came from love’. ‘I told him that I was gay. He looked at me and was just like, “What?” He just couldn’t believe it,’ says Domingo. ‘Eventually, he said, “I don’t care, man. I love you anyway.” And he just hugged me. Then he said, “Have you told anyone else? I said, no. He said, “Alright, this stays between you and me.”’
“Two days later, his sister was on the phone. ‘She was pissed off. I said, “Look, yes, it was really hard for me to tell him.” She said, “No, no, no. Why didn’t you tell me first?” She was pissed off because she didn’t get the information first,’ he laughs recounting the story. Not long after, that Domingo delivered the news to his parents. His mum took it in her stride and, like his brother, agreed to keep her son’s sexuality to herself. ‘Twenty minutes later, the phone rings and she says, “I talked to your stepfather.” She puts him on and he says, in his blue-collar masculine way, “You’re a good boy and there’s nothing you can tell me that would make me stop loving you.”’