On Mathis Family Matters, Judge Greg Mathis explains how he encouraged…

On Mathis Family Matters, Judge Greg Mathis explains how he encouraged his son to come out

Mathis Family Matters is without a doubt the summer’s feel-good show, but that doesn’t mean it’s devoid of serious themes.

Judge Greg Mathis, Sr. and his eldest son, Greg Jr., spoke exclusively to E! News about Greg Jr.’s proclivity for concealing his sexuality. “Greg and I had an [onscreen] talk about his not expressing his sexuality or being gay with the wider public, his friends, and others,” the family patriarch explained.

Judge Mathis stated, “I thought he had since he discussed it with us at age 18 and moved to Washington, D.C. and has been there for over a decade and that’s a gay-friendly community.” “So I was surprised that he hadn’t, and there are some very emotional moments there when I tell him that he has to fight.”

One of the reasons Greg Jr., 33, hadn’t publicly come out, according to the longstanding television personality, was not only for fear of people judging Greg Jr., but also his father.

The chat they have on the subject is “extremely emotional,” according to Judge Mathis, but it’s one of the show’s stories that he’s most excited for viewers to see: “I think people will find it intriguing because it’s a very poignant element of the series overall.”

Even though publicly admitting his sexuality—let alone on national television—was “one of the most vulnerable things I’ve ever had to do,” Greg Jr. was equally “eager,” he told E! News.

“It truly does document not only my coming out process to the public, but also my boyfriend’s,” Greg Jr. added, referring to his long-term love, Elliott Cooper.

“The mental anguish and hardship a lot of LGBTQ+ folks go through during that process,” Greg Jr. continued, “as well as the anxieties that you have and the reactions from some of your family and friends.”

“I’m really glad for the opportunity to present that to the world,” he continued, “and I hope that it will have a meaningful impact on individuals who will see this show and may be going through something similar, and that it will help them as they navigate that path in their own manner.”