Second Chance: A Pride Week Family Reunion
By Connect Mason Reporter Rashad Mulla
Photo courtesy of Lloyd Carrera
In many ways, Lloyd Carrera is the opposite of what he was 16 years ago. His brother, Larry Craig Carrera, died of AIDS in 1992, and Lloyd had to come to terms with his brother’s sexual orientation only a year and a half earlier.
Now, Carrera, Coordinator of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Student Services for the Office of Disability Services at George Mason University, feels he’s been given a second chance. His daughter, Lianna, told him she was gay in high school, but the ensuing years have been very different than his early interactions with his brother.
PAIN
“Even though I knew my brother was gay, I pretty much separated myself from [him], because at that time I was in a religious realm that was against it,” said Carrera, a former Southern Baptist minister.
Carrera said his brother was subject to harassment, even from family members, when it became known he was gay. He felt like he was “worthless.” Carrera distanced himself from his brother.
But after his brother’s death, and throughout Lianna’s childhood, Carrera began participating in AIDS awareness campaigns. While he was training for his first AIDS bicycle marathon, Lianna revealed she was gay.
“She was in tears at the time and I was in tears at the time,” Carrera recalled. “For her, I believe the tears were different than mine.”
He said his tears were in remembrance of his brother.
“Every father does not want their daughter to experience pain or hate,” Mr. Carrera said. “I wish I could tell you there was no more of that.”
UNDERSTANDING
It was only after Lianna’s revelation that Carrera began to understand what she was going through.
“Lianna hasn’t shared too much pain with me because I carry a lot of it,” he said.
Carrera realized he did not understand her fully. While he never expressed hatred for his brother or Lianna’s sexual orientation, he realized he would have to learn more about her experiences in order to fully support her.
He said Lianna hated being asked about her sexual orientation on a common basis, and she had to experience things at school that others never had to go through.
RELIEF
Lianna, however, decided to follow in her father’s footsteps and became an activist. As a student at West Springfield High School, she established a Gay-Straight Alliance. She was also part of the first same-sex couple to attend prom at her high school. This was met with open arms by some administrators, Carrera said, but others objected.
Lianna’s activism doesn't end with issues of sexual orientation.
She organized a memorial for victims of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks at the World Trade Center. Carrera said over 300 people attended this event.
“That should tell you what kind of person Lianna is,” he said.
LAUGHTER
After graduating from Randolph Macon University with a bachelor’s degree in political science, Lianna found her niche as a stand-up comedian. She attended Second City in Chicago, a prestigious school of comedy. She hopes to pursue a career in the field as a stand-up comedian or a script writer.
“A lot of ridiculous encounters spurred my comedy,” she said.
One of Lianna’s routines involves her talking about encounters with her mother and brother, who are both deaf.
Carrera admitted that he was surprised by her decision to pursue comedy, but he does watch his daughter’s performances.
Lianna starred at Pride Week’s Open Mic Night on Thursday, March 27.
“She always had a flair for performance,” he said.
FAMILY
At the end of the day, Carrera is thankful he was able to develop a strong bond with his daughter, after an admittedly shaky one with his brother. Lianna shares those sentiments.
“My family is extremely supportive,” she said. "They’re hoping I can be as successful as I want to be.”
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