Rob McElhenney with his family. (GLAAD/YouTube)
Rob McElhenney has heaped praise on his lesbian mothers, describing them as a “great gift”.
The It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia actor spoke of his pride at having two mothers after both women appeared in a GLAAD video for Mother’s Day, where they reflected on their 37-year relationship.
In the touching video, Helena McElhenney said she knew right away that there was something special about Mary Taylor when they first met.
“The minute I met her, she was the person that I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with,” McElhenney said.
In the heartwarming video, the couple opened up about the joys of falling in love – but they also spoke about some of the hardships they faced.
“I was afraid not only for my children but for myself,” Helena said, while Mary revealed that their first few years together were “really, really tough”.
But the couple – who tied the knot officially three years ago – got through those difficult years. Looking back, Helena said she wishes she could tell her younger self to not be afraid.
“Who you love and how you love is your business, but sometimes you need a little help,” Helena said in the video.
Mary added: “And don’t worry about other people. Rely on the community for support.”
Rob McElhenney ‘flourished’ because of his loving lesbian mothers
Rob McElhenney shared the video on Twitter, writing: “No family looks exactly the same. So proud to call both of these ladies ‘Mom’.”
In a statement accompanying the video, McElhenney said he and his siblings flourished because of their loving upbringing.
“I get asked a lot about what it was like to have two moms. The truth is that it was a pretty great gift,” McElhenney said.
“By the standards of 1984 South Philadelphia, our upbringing was unconventional, but my brother, sister, and I were able to recognise early on that not every family looked exactly the same or like what we saw on television.
No family looks exactly the same. So proud to call both of these ladies “Mom”. @mommcelhenney @marytaylor2 https://t.co/WhClX9OXKj
— Rob McElhenney (@RMcElhenney) May 6, 2021
“Yet we had nothing but love and support and compassion and empathy. And I think that allowed us to flourish.”
Rob McElhenney previously revealed that his parents divorced when he was eight years old after his mother came out as a lesbian.
In 2018, he told Deadline: “I was partly raised by two women, and I have two brothers who are gay, so I have always been part of the gay community.
“It’s just always been a part of my life.”