Kirk Franklin Gets Candid As He Opens Up About His Eldest Son’s Bisexuality
Award-winning Gospel legend, Kirk Franklin is speaking from the heart about love, acceptance, and breaking the stigma around sexuality.
In a candid conversation, the 55-year-old father opened up about his 37-year-old son, Kerrion Franklin’s sexuality and made it clear he has never had a problem with his son’s bisexuality. He said:
“I’ve never understood homophobia. I am a lover of every human. I love people. I love people. That’s always been me.”
The global gospel superstar explained that being a parent isn’t about agreeing with every choice your child makes —it’s about unconditional love. He continued:
“I told my son, there will never be any situation in your life that I will ever, ever stop loving you. I will love who you love, and I will stand where you stand. At the end of the day, that’s my son and ain’t nobody gonna take my son away from me.”
The dad of four also reflected on how society often tries to put Christian leaders in boxes, expecting them to be perfect. But he says he has never let the cloth determine his humanity. He explained:
“Just because I’m a Christian singer doesn’t mean I’m not human. I’ve always allowed myself to be seen as human, and that’s how I want to be with my family and my son.”
The gospel star went on to speak against the judgmental culture many still hold toward the LGBTQ+ community. In his words:
“If homosexuality is a sin, then adultery is a sin. Fornication is a sin. Divorce is a sin. None of them are bigger than the other. I’ve never understood why we single out some people for judgment. We all need grace.”
Even more, Kirk reflected on his own experiences growing up, when his sexuality was questioned in middle and high school because of his love for fashion and the arts.
Yet, he always stayed true to himself while remaining compassionate toward others. He stated:
“I’ve always been loving and compassionate to people. That’s who I am.”
Three years ago, Kirk shocked millions around the world when a recording of him lambasting his son with expletives and threats went viral.
In an interview with The Breakfast Club as at then, Kirk took accountability and acknowledging his failure for the vulgar tongue-lashing.
Referencing the shocking audio as “my mixtape,” the songwriter told co-hosts DJ Envy and Angela Yee that as a Christian leader, he knows, “There is a standard and I didn’t meet it.”
SEE ALSO: Gospel Singer, Kirk Franklin Shares Why He & His Wife Chose To Not Raise Religious Kids
DJ Envy told Kirk that he has an 18-year-old son and unlike Franklin’s critics, he related to him flying off the handle on the phone call. He said:
“Some people were shocked, and some people weren’t. Me, myself, I wasn’t shocked. And the reason I wasn’t shocked is because your kids will get you to that point.”
Kirk responded, “Especially your grown kids.”
Despite feeling provoked, the gospel superstar felt an apology was in order because, according to him, he “did not want to normalize” toxic behaviors that some within the African American community have embraced.
Kirk suggested that abusive words like those he used in a heated exchange with the Bad Boys: Los Angeles cast member are “things that we expect as far as our culture, things that we may say, ‘Well that’s what my mama did to me.’ ‘That’s what my daddy did to me.’”
Even so, he stressed,
“I don’t want to normalize it. I want to be able to acknowledge that there was a standard, and I didn’t meet the standard.”
Franklin, at times, was visibly uncomfortable but seemed more emotional, sedate and at times awkward when speaking about his son.
Kirk said he and Shawn Ewing, the reality TV star’s mother, “historically have tried to keep our journey with our son a private family matter.”
But once the back and forth was shared and discussed widely on the Internet, those once personal family issues – including Kerrion’s current mental health struggles – were thrust into the spotlight. He added:
“I’ve done everything that I could to try to help him for many, many, many, many years. My son is a very talented, beautiful soul, and the way that he was wired is not necessarily his fault.
Some of us are born with very unique wiring, and a lot of times in our community, it is hard for us to acknowledge certain wiring.”
Though Kirk remained vague about what he meant by “wiring” – never revealing an official diagnosis – he added,
“I think that as a 34-year-old man, his willingness to accept the uniqueness of how God has wired him and to embrace it and to embrace the tools that are available will be a very beautiful thing.”