The Coyle Twins recently used their platform of nearly 35,000 YouTube subscribers to come out to their mother.

In a 12-minute video, the brothers explain that though they don’t hide their sexuality, they’ve never come out to their parents.

‘We’re not really hiding it, it’s just that awkward elephant in the room, break the ice, how do you say it?’ Luke explains at the start.

Cooper adds that over the past few years, they haven’t been as close to their mom because of ‘this one thing holding us back’.

So how did it go? Watch to find out…

One of the mom’s first reactions when her sons tell her they’re gay is: ‘Okay… so what?’

Then she makes the astute observation that straight people don’t need to come out and tell everyone they’re straight. She adds, though, that she understands why they wanted to tell her.

Now it’s time for the tissues.

‘As long as you’re happy, and you know who you are, that makes daddy and I happy,’ she continues. The relief on the twins’ faces is clear. ‘We’re happy if you’re happy. If this is who you are, then this is who you are. You’re born that way. You’re not different from anybody else. You’re my babies, I love you, daddy and I are always here to support you.’

She also adds that while she’s not surprised, she never wanted to assume and let them come out on their own terms.

A new way of coming out

YouTube coming out videos have become a popular way for people to come out and discuss their identities more.

In 2015, twins Aaron and Austin Rhodes went viral after coming out to their father in a video. It even landed them on Ellen!

Luke and Cooper touch on these videos at the start and how they inspired them to come out to their mom.

The internet has provided more ways to amplify voices that weren’t heard as often as before. There is power in seeing positive, supportive stories like this and sharing it with the entire world.