Three panel image. On the left, Kirk Franklin in a white suit at a 2024 awards show. In the middle, an archival photo of him and his son in black suits at an event. On the right, his son Kerrion as an adult smiling on a red carpet.

To change one’s heart and mind is no easy task. But it seems gospel singer Kirk Franklin and his son Kerrion, who came out as bisexual in 2022, seem to be on a challenging but promising path.

In a recent interview on Cam Newton’s Funky Friday podcast, the 20-time Grammy Award winner spoke candidly about their trying times, which first caught the public’s attention in 2021 after Kerrion leaked audio from an argument in which his father swore, verbally abused, and threatened him.

Their fractured relationship worsened after Kerrion came out in an episode of reality show Bad Boys: Los Angeles, in which he was seemingly bullied into discussing his sexuality by fellow castmates.

Now, as Franklin told Newton, he’s “ashamed” of “the lack of control” exhibited in the leaked clip.

“No matter what the conversation was, that I felt was a disrespectful conversation, because I’m the father, I have the responsibility,” he explained, adding that he “didn’t do a good job.”

While Franklin and his son were estranged for two years, they reconciled in 2023, though he admitted: “There have been good days, and there have been bad days, still.”

As far as religious figureheads go, Franklin has tended to lean more liberally than some of his peers. In 2021, he spoke out against weaponizing the Bible to justify homophobic views.

“A lot of people that maybe profess Christianity, they have views that are not even bibliocentric,” he said at the time. “It’s their personal views that they do not understand, sometimes maybe the biology of homosexuality, and so they want to find a scripture to try to justify their own homophobic views.”

That said, it sounds like accepting his son for who he is hasn’t been easy. Last year, Kerrion reshared a family photo posted by his father on his since-deleted Instagram account, writing, “I’m never invited to these pics. Let him enjoy his fantasy.”

And when asked by Newton about Kerrion’s sexuality, Franklin spoke about being “wired in ways that we didn’t ask for” and how “that does not limit us from still being our best.”

While it’s unclear what Franklin meant by his son’s “best,” he was steadfast in his unconditional support, declaring, “If my son don’t win, there’s not an accomplishment on this planet that will ever matter.”

Furthermore, the “Looking for You” singer stressed that his love for his son “as a Christian father who believes in the text” was unaffected by his bisexuality.

“I’ve had conversations with Kerrion since he was a little boy,” Franklin said. “I know my son. And my conversations with him have always been a consistent one … I love you and my love for you does not waver based on who you love.”

Unfortunately, there might always be a religious stigma around the LGBTQ+ community. But Franklin’s willingness to proclaim love for his son and reevaluate his beliefs on sexuality is important, and it’s a conversation that will likely resonate with many queer people and their families.

Moreover, the gospel star understands his role in discussing Kerrion’s story and allowing his son the space to share it. When Newton asked how Kerrion might have realized his bisexuality, Franklin told him that “it would be disrespectful for me to speak on the nuances of his life on his behalf.”

Still, he added, “I do believe that [Kerrion’s] story will be an incredible one, and I do believe it will be healing for many people if and when he chooses to tell it.”

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