By: GaysWithKids | New York City

After Kyle Ashworth came out to his wife, with whom he has four children, “she listened, she mourned and she loved,” he said.
Kyle has four kids from a previous straight relationship. After ten years of marriage, he came out to his wife. “It was the most painful and wrenching experience of my life,” said Kyle. “In the cold morning hours that coming-out-day in March, I began a journey of authenticity and honesty.” Today, Kyle is 36 years old and ready to live his next chapter. But before we get to that, we need to look back at what led him to where he is now: an out and proud single gay dad.

Kyle grew up in a Latter-day Saint family in Utah. “I was always taught that homosexuality was evil and that there was no happiness in that life,” said Kyle. “I was also taught that certain religious rites like serving a Mormon mission, getting married in the Temple and having children would ‘correct’ my sexuality.”

Kyle exhausted all of these religious avenues in an attempt to change who he inherently was. “I was taught that a heteronormal life would fix my sexuality, so I gave it my all.” Yet his sexuality remained constant.

In 2006, he married a woman. During their 10-year marriage, they had four beautiful kids together. “Being gay and trying to love a woman was a monumental task,” said Kyle. “That being said, I have no regrets; my children are the lights of my life.” Kyle also says that while he wouldn’t advocate for anyone to enter a mixed orientation marriage, he would advocate for parenthood, something he never thought he’d achieve.

In 2015, Kyle came out to his wife. “She listened, she mourned and she loved.”

The two separated, keeping their relationship as co-parents supportive and friendly, for the benefit of their kids. They even vacationed together not long after as it was planned prior to their separating. Kyle was even dating someone at the time, and she invited his partner to join the family trip.

“It’s not that my ex-wife and I were trying to get back together, or holding onto something that isn’t there,” elaborated Kyle. “We’re friends; we’re the parents to our children … our marriage wasn’t regrettable. It was however part of the story that got us to where we are today.”

Kyle’s advice to others who are still closeted: “If you’re not out, come out.” He says be honest with who you are and embrace your divine and inherent qualities. “Abandon the dark and lonely walls you’ve built to protect your sexual identity, he continued. “My love is neither apostate or counterfeit and neither is yours.”

And if you’re worried about the impact on your children, don’t let that stop you says Kyle, as someone who used to fear his children’s reaction to their dad being gay. “I have learned that children are resilient little monsters,” said Kyle. “They love unconditionally and are so willing to share that love.”

Although Kyle’s road to his authentic life was rocky and full of turns, his journey lead to where he is today, far happier than he’s ever been. And it gave him something he strongly desired but had almost given up on: being a dad. We’re excited to see Kyle’s next chapter unfold.