Chris and Joe had been happily married for five years and wanted to spend the rest of their lives together.
They trusted each other more than anyone else, but unbeknownst to those around them, they had been hiding a huge secret from each other that turned their lives upside down. Suddenly, the perfect couple wasn't so perfect anymore, and their neighbors all turned against them.
The Perfect Family
Two months after Chris and Joe tied the knot, they welcomed their first child into the world. And just two years after that, Chris gave birth to their second son.
"I was really, really happy," Chris said. "Joe always made me feel loved, and we absolutely trusted each other." Little did she know that her husband was hiding a dark secret from her this whole time.
Chris Was A Good Wife
Most people would agree that Chris was the perfect wife. She cleaned, cooked, raised two children, and always supported her husband in everything he did.
For five years, she enjoyed her perfect marriage and planned to stay with Joe for the rest of her life. Chris had no idea that the disaster was waiting just around the corner.
Something Was Off
One day, Chris felt that something was off about her marriage, but she couldn't put her finger on it. "I had an 'Oh, no! moment," she said.
She didn't want to hurt her husband, but she couldn't keep it to herself anymore. It was time to tell him the truth about who she really was.
She Was Gay
Chris began to realize that her feelings for Joe weren't as strong as they used to be when they first met. She wasn't even sure if she was physically attracted to him anymore.
For years, she tried to convince herself that she was straight, but in her heart, she always knew she was a lesbian. But how could she explain this to her husband?
She Had Crushes On Girls Before
Chris always had crushes on girls and never on boys. When she was 19, she had her first relationship with a woman, but it didn't work out.
Chris thought that she was going through an experimental phase, and when she met her future husband, she decided to give it a try.
She Couldn't Take It Anymore
"I got pregnant with a little girl, and something in me just wanted to be completely woman identified," she said.
"I could not suppress that anymore...my whole world changed. It was like a little lightbulb clicked on, and as much as I tried to click off the lightbulb, I couldn't get it to go off." But how did Joe react to the news?
They Lost Their Daughter
Unfortunately, their daughter was stillborn, and it destroyed her mental health. "It was the worst thing to ever happen," Chris explained.
"I thought perhaps I'm being punished because I'm internally betraying my husband and my family. That was the moment when I really knew I have to be an authentic person, and I have to tell the truth, as painful as it's going to be."
Telling The Truth
Chris initially wanted to have this conversation with her husband over dinner, but she got scared.
She couldn't keep it to herself any longer and told him the truth on their way home from shopping.
She Told Him The Truth
"I said, 'Joe, I think after lots of soul searching and lots of reading and lots of praying I do believe that I'm a lesbian,'" Chris said.
"It was very painful to do." But what did her husband say?
He Wasn't Mad At Her
Chris's husband wasn't angry with her. "He says, 'It's going to be okay. I love you. We'll get through it."
"And I thought, 'I don't know if he heard me.'" But the next day, Joe's behavior suddenly changed.
He Was Upset
"Joe went from very understanding to angry as we do when we go through the feelings of grief."
Chris tried to explain to Joe that her decision to come out was never about his physical appearance or character. "It was about my personal connection with another person," she said.
They Got Divorced
"When I thought about how I wanted to have an intimacy with another person...I knew it couldn't be with Joe anymore."
Once Joe realized there was no point in staying together, he filed for divorce. Then, four years after they got divorced, Chris's husband came out, too.
He Was Gay Too
"I came to the conclusion that I'm not going to be happy until I'm honest with myself," he said.
Chris claimed that she had a feeling that her ex-husband was gay, too. "I thought he'd come out first!" she said. However, their son Alex, who was a teen at the time, had to deal with a lot of bullying at school as a result of having two gay parents. But was he angry with them?
He Is Proud Of Them
Despite the emotional abuse that he experienced at school, he is very proud to have Joe and Chris as his parents.
"I love them for coming out," he said. "They're not afraid to stand up to other people, and I'm just proud of them for coming out and living their own life."