'Sorry mom, I'm STRAIGHT': Oversharing mother who blogs about her pride in her 'rainbow boy' reveals how other son finally plucked up courage to come out to her as heterosexual

Lori Duron tells how her younger son loves dressing in girls' clothes and prefers sewing to playing soccer, in a new book titled Raising My Rainbow

Now she explains that since she was so careful to be accepting of her younger son's sexuality that her older son came out as straight

Was careful to use gender-neutral pronouns when she asked about her sons school crushes



A mother who wrote a book about her young son's love of 'all girl things' like Barbies and high heels has now revealed that her older son felt that he needed to come out as straight.

Lori Duron, who lives in California's Orange County, started writing a blog and later a book about her son C.J.'s affinity for girls' toys and clothing, and used her position as a way to tell other parents how she was creating a welcoming environment for her gender non-conforming son.

In a new essay for The Huffington Post, she explained how she was careful use all-inclusive pronouns and never assume that either of her two sons were attracted to girls.

Learning curve: Lori Duron candidly details her family's experience of raising six-year-old CJ - described as a 'boy who is a girl at heart' - in a new book titled, Raising My Rainbow

Difference of opinion: While CJ loves pink and dolls, his older brother Chase prefers traditional boys' toys

As a result, her 10-year-old son Chase felt compelled to 'come out' to her as a boy that likes girls.

'I'm careful how I phrase things. I ask my oldest son Chase if he thinks anybody in his class is cute. I leave it open so that he can answer honestly,' she wrote in the essay.

After a number of such interactions, she got an unexpected response from Chase.

'Mom, I'm straight. It's time you faced the facts,' Chase said.

'I know what you're doing. You always leave it open, like I could be gay. But I'm not,' he continued.

'OK, but you know that if you were gay or are gay, that is totally cool too, right?' Mrs Duron responded.

Happy at play: CJ seen in his bedroom, which is crammed full of girls' toys

Expressing himself: CJ's mother says he loves practicing his 'fashion walk' in the mirror

Many parents of LGBT children have stories of their own moments when their son or daughter was ready to come out as a homosexual or lesbian, but Mrs Duron is one of the few who had a similar experience with a straight child.

She writes how her unexpected parenting methods come from her own experience of growing up with a gay brother.

Mrs Duron wrote that her mother's reaction to her brother's admission of his sexuality, which happened ' a time and in a place where it wasn't discussed, let alone embraced', encouraged her to be overly cautious and supportive or whatever sexuality her children identify with.

Learning process: Lori and Matt Duron said they were confused and concerned about their son at first

Frank account: Mrs Duron's blog-turned-book, Raising My Rainbow hit the shelves today

'By trying to eliminate the need for a gay son to come out, I created an environment where a straight son felt the need to come out,' she wrote.

'As I try to learn from my mother's mistakes, I may be making some new ones of my own. I guess that's how it goes with parenting.'

In addition to the latest essay, Mrs Duron also used a Today Show interview as an opportunity to talk about her younger son's gender identity discovery process.

She said CJ loves dressing in girls' clothes, practicing his 'fashion walk' in front of the mirror and prefers sewing to playing soccer.

CJ, who is getting ready to start first grade, says he started liking 'girls' stuff' after he found a Barbie in the back of his mother's closet. He was just two-and-a-half years old.