In this KARAMO talk‑show segment, host Karamo mediates a deeply personal family investigation involving Buttons, a lesbian woman raised in foster care, and Dolce, a gay man who believes they share the same father. Buttons recounts hearing rumors of a half‑brother, her fragmented upbringing, and the moment she first contacted Dolce via Facebook in 2012, leading to a friendship that deepened at a Gay Pride event. Both describe how their families—particularly Buttons’ sister Jerri—reject the possibility of a shared sibling, citing homophobia and distrust of the alleged father. The central conflict revolves around a pending DNA test that could confirm or refute their brother‑sister relationship. Throughout the conversation, the participants emphasize the emotional need for validation, the pain of familial denial, and the hope that the test will cement their bond and possibly shift family dynamics. The segment culminates with the reveal that the DNA results confirm they are siblings, prompting expressions of love, forgiveness, and a broader message about community as chosen family.
Chapters
So tell me, how did you first hear about your potential brother?
So I mean, my whole life I've heard that my dad supposedly had a kid, but I never met him, never seen him or anything as such. My sister had said that she met him at one point in time when she was younger, but with me in my life and how I grew up, I didn't really have contact with them until later on in life.
What was your family situation growing up?
I was raised in foster care from 2 and I aged out the system, but my grandmother did eventually get custody of me at 14.
Okay, what had your father told you about your potential brother then?
Well, he said that some lady was saying, "Oh, I supposedly have a son, but that ain't my son. She was already pregnant when me and him started even dating, her started even dating." And I'm like, "Hmm, okay." But supposedly he was around at some point in time and something had happened that made him uncomfortable and he was like, "I'm not coming around, that's not my son." And when he told me the story, I'm like, "Well, Dad," If you felt uncomfortable as him being a child, you should have been a father and educated him on what was proper, what was not proper, as opposed to just shunning him and leaving his life completely.
Agreed, agreed, agreed. So when did you first make contact with Dolce, your potential brother?
He reached out to me. He sent me a Facebook message in 2012 and he asked me how I knew Tyrin. And I was like, oh, that's my dad. And he's like, "Oh, you're my sister." And I'm like, "Oh, you're the one. Hi." And so I went and I started looking at his Facebook page and looking at his pictures and stuff. And he resembled my dad and my younger sister so much that I went to my daughter's room, who at the time was 7, and I'm like, "Who did he look like?" She's like, "Papa." And I'm like, "Right, okay." And then I told her the story. And then from that point on, I was like, "Okay, well, we need to figure this out." Well, we have that first message he sent you.
Can I see it? I said blank, who blank to you? My father. And you are? He's my father too. And you're my sister? Really? I would like to meet you. Me too. What's your name? Accept my request. My name's, I'm sure, but everyone calls me Buttons. Did Tyron ever tell you that you had a brother? So when did you finally meet up for the first time?
Maybe like a year later at Gay Pride. I was there with my best friend and I got a tap on my shoulder and I turn around and I'm like, oh my God. Oh my God, like he looked just like my dad to me. And I'm like, oh my God, hey. And you know, we hug, we start talking. And from that point on, like we've been so close.
Oh, that's amazing.
Yeah, that was Pride. Yeah, that was Pride.
Oh, that's amazing. So what similarities have you noticed between you and Dolce?
We kind of bougie.
You both bougie.
We kind of bougie, you know? We really like, we—
Then we could be cousins too, 'cause I'm bougie as well.
And we, like, we apply ourselves in life. And we ended up, he ended up living with me for 2 years. And at that point in time, I just seen like we were just, we meshed well. Our energies was the same. We were just like-minded. Our heart.
So you've gotten close since 2012 when this connection, y'all have gotten close. The fact that y'all live together. So this is your brother though you have no confirmation.
I don't know who else he could be, you know? Because it's like, again, when I, When I first seen his pictures, when he sent that message, I went to the photos and I'm like, it's too many similarities in my mind. I look at the height, me and him are like the shorties. My sisters are tall and my dad isn't tall. So I'm like, and then we got these ears, you know? But nobody got these ears but me and my daughter and him, so.
What have your other family members said about all this?
They are not accepting at all. They don't think that it's, his son, they're like, oh, we don't want any more siblings. And I'm like, that's not your choice. If that's his son, you got more siblings. Like, at the end of the day, what would be their apprehension?
I mean, he's an innocent child who has nothing to do with it. What would be their apprehension?
He's an innocent child, but he happens to be a gay male.
Got it.
Which is still crazy. I met him at Gay Pride. I'm a lesbian, you know. I am so, like, super gay.
So it's like, what's the problem?
You guys accept me, but you won't accept him, you know. And it's just this whole bias of a man.
Yeah, I hear that. So why is this DNA test important to you?
'Cause he deserves to know and I would like to shut everybody up.
It's just so negative and it's not his fault that he doesn't know.
He has a right to have his family, he has a right to know who his family is ultimately.
Yeah, yeah. Well, I think it's time to hear from your potential brother. So everyone please welcome Dolce to the show. Hey Dolce, how you doing? You look great too.
Thank you.
Yeah, you're welcome, right? So how do you feel about what was just said?
It's true. Everything she said was true.
So what were you told about your father growing up?
Basically, I had a father that existed, but he didn't wanna be in my life. So I made it, you know, to reach out to her and—
Is Button's father listed on your birth certificate?
No, it's another man.
Oh.
Yes.
Okay.
Yeah.
Okay. So there is doubt there then, if there's another man.
There's a lot of doubt.
Yeah. Yeah. Have you ever met your potential father?
Yes, I have met him 5 times.
5 times. Yeah. And what were those interactions like?
Hi and bye and that was it.
Wow. Why do you think that is?
'Cause I'm gay. I don't know.
Yeah.
So?
Yeah.
And fabulous.
Yeah.
Yeah. I'm sorry to hear that. Were you aware that he's been denying you?
Yes, she told me and my mom has told me as well.
So how did you find out about Button?
I actually went through Facebook and I saw her last name and I reached out to her and I was like, are you, you know, you may be my potential sister.
Yeah, have you tried to build a relationship with your other potential family members?
I'm not building relationship with a person that don't want a relationship with me.
I hear that. Yeah. All right, we're getting a ping and it's from Button's sister, Jerri. Let's hear what she had to say.
I'm Jerri, I'm Button's older sister and I'm gonna say what Button doesn't wanna hear. Gautier is definitely not our brother. I trust my dad and trust me, if he had a son, he would be claiming him. He would've never denied anything. He would've never been gone. I'm always gonna be on my father's side. If he says this is not our brother, then this is not our brother. But I'm sorry to say this, but the test is gonna say the real truth. He's not our father's son.
Wow. It's always so interesting to me that children who are not around when the adults made those decisions all have an opinion about it.
Exactly, right. And that's what I've said. I've literally been going at it with my siblings about this. I'm like, you guys can't, oh, we don't want any more siblings. That's not your choice. He has a right to know. And who am I to be the person that's like, oh, I'm not gonna accept you because you don't know who your father is. If you were told that this is your dad, then this is your dad. You're my brother until we find out the other one.
Yeah, why, yeah, that's great. So question, why hasn't your father, if this has been around since 2012, taken the opportunity to do the DNA test himself?
She has more of a connection with him.
Yeah, I would say the fact of the matter is, in my opinion, If you have 3 other children and you weren't even a father to them, you're not really caring about if indeed—
He's just sperm donor. That's what it is.
Got it.
Yeah. You're a father to someone else.
Got it, got it. So he has never been a good father to you or your other siblings?
None of them.
No, we were raised in foster care.
Has he made amends for that?
With his grandchildren. Me, not particularly, 'cause I stay away. Because I am a lesbian and I'm his daughter, I'm his son in a weird way, you know? And he'll come over, watch football with me. He'll come over, watch boxing. But that's it. And once my grandmother died, we kind of like dissipated, you know, in a sense, so.
Got it. What does this DNA truth mean to you, Dolce?
I need validation. I need to get some clarity. I wanna shut people up and tell people the truth about what's going on. So, I mean, I give buttons. She been there all my life. Like, from, I can't even speak. Thank you for being there.
You don't have to thank me. That's what I'm supposed to do. That's what life is supposed to bring, you know? And I had the luxury of knowing my mom and all her kids, so I came in knowing that.
Yeah, 'cause 2012, I was just thinking she was gonna shut the door on me. So when she opened her arms to me, so thank you.
And that's 'cause that's what my sister did.
Here you go.
Thank you.
My sister shut the door, you know? They didn't invite him in in any type of way.
Yeah. Well, I have to ask you, even though you've been there since 2012, What happens if this DNA truth comes back that he's not your brother?
He's still gonna be my brother.
He is my brother.
He's still gonna be there, yeah.
He's my daughter's uncle, you know, my daughter.
I'll ask you, Dontre, as well. If there is another man on your birth certificate, what would that make you feel if that was the truth?
Disappointed, you know, 'cause I've been searching for this almost 38 years of my life, so yeah.
Well, I think it's time for the DNA truth so that you can get the answer. It's been 38 years, like you said, that you have been searching You've been searching for the DNA truth, and in this envelope is that truth for you. This is not my truth to open, it is yours.
Before I open these buttons, whatever the results may be, we still gonna be there for each other. This is for all the haters, so.
I love you, and that's that.
All right.
We've always been here and it's not gonna change.
Okay.
I told you, I told you, I told you. I told you, I told you, I knew it. I promise you guys, I knew it when I took that phone in there and I can show the phone to a 7-year-old child.
I am your favorite baby.
7-year-old child. Oh my God, I knew it.
There you go.
Thank you so much.
Thank you so much. Oh my God.
So you said to the haters, "I am your sibling." Yes. "I am your family." Yes. How good does it feel to have that confirmation and know?
It feel really good because I connected with her and it's like I'm really hers.
Yeah, yeah.
Let's say we were bougie together. I knew, you know? Oh my God.
Wow.
And it's, oh, I can't wait to call my daughter.
Woo! That's beautiful. I'm really happy for you.
Thank you so much.
Because in all sincerity, The rejection you felt was not, you shouldn't have gotten. And one thing that is a lesson that people I hope can learn from you all is what you've done, is that when a child comes forward and says, this is what I've been told, you embrace them, you show them love, you give them support because without you this could have been different. You know?
Getting this is like so real right now. Like, I'm—
It's validating.
Yeah.
And it's vindicating. So that audio that was played, ha ha ha ha, not happening. Like, you're wrong. So you're gonna feel upset. How about that when the results come out, like, this is your brother, so you get a DNA test now.
How about that? Now that the DNA test has been shown, do you think your other siblings will come around?
Yes, 'cause they like to be a part of stuff and they don't wanna be left out. But again, they left themselves out this whole time.
Got it, got it. Will you have space in your heart to forgive them?
I'm open to the idea.
Okay.
I got open arms.
Yeah, well, I'm glad you two have each other. You know what I mean? You know, in our community we say the community is our family.
Yes.
And at a Pride celebration, —actually found your family. And I'm so happy for you both. Thank you so much. You deserve this moment so much. Thank you. Well, listen, everyone. Thank you for being with us. Make sure to come back next time, friends, so we can keep talking and growing. I love you all.
