From Rejecting Her Gay Son to Hugging Thousands — Founder of FREE MOM HUGS Shares Her Faith Journey

Sara Cunningham, founder of Free Mom Hugs, shares the powerful story of how she went from rejecting her gay son to leading an international movement that has impacted hundreds of thousands. It wasn't easy. When Sara's youngest son came out to her at 21, she didn't take it well. She was frozen in fear — terrified he would be condemned to hell, convinced that accepting him would make her a sinner too. She shamed him with the very best of intentions. But everything changed in 2014 when her son invited her to her first Pride parade. There, she met a girl who hadn't hugged her mother in four years because she was a lesbian. That hug — that moment — became the spark that ignited Sara's journey toward understanding, acceptance, and ultimately, unconditional love. Today, Free Mom Hugs is an international nonprofit movement with over 40,000 volunteers and 250 groups across the country. Sara has been featured on the Today Show, RuPaul's show, in People Magazine, and the Washington Post. But more importantly, she's helping thousands of LGBTQ+ people and their families find healing, belonging, and acceptance. In this episode, Sara opens up about: -The moment she found out her son was gay and how she initially responded -How her theology deconstructed and reconstructed -Finding an online community of 250 moms going through the same journey -The pivotal moment at Pride that changed everything -How Free Mom Hugs grew from a simple gesture into a global movement -Why visibility, education, and conversation matter -Her message to parents still struggling with their child's sexual orientation This episode is for anyone struggling with faith and LGBTQ identity, parents coming to terms with having an LGBTQ child, or anyone interested in the power of radical love and acceptance. You Can Be Both Podcast reminds you that you can be both LGBTQ+ and a person of faith. RESOURCES: Free Mom Hugs: freemomhugs.com Sara's Book: "How We Sleep at Night": https://amzn.to/3SSehTn Lauren's LGBTQ Healing and Resource Guide: www.youcanbeboth.com Lauren's Music: Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube — search Lauren Lanzaretta FOLLOW LAUREN: Instagram: @lanzaretta TikTok: @Lanzaretta YouTube: Lauren Lanzaretta