Barbra Streisand Always Accepted Her Gay Son for 'What He Is' — Grown up He Looks Just like Her

Barbra Streisand is not only a celebrity but also the mother of Jason Gould, her only child. She has always been on his side, accepting him for who he is - including his sexuality.

The EGOT Award winner prioritized her son before her career, even before he was born. In 1966, the American singer was set to perform on a concert tour in 20 different cities, which would have raked in over $1 million. At the time, the amount was considered a lot of money.

However, Streisand discovered she was expecting her first child that same year. Subsequently, she canceled the shows, forfeiting the money she would have made.

Author of "The Barbra Streisand Scrapbook," Allison J. Waldman, penned that Streisand's decision to take a step back on her performances made quite a buzz then:

"The cancellation received a lot of attention. The press dubbed the unborn child 'Barbra's Million-Dollar Baby,' a term she found offensive and crass."

Despite the scrutiny, the mother-to-be was not too shattered about not being able to perform and stated it was the right choice to make.

"A stage performance is different, you do it, and it's gone forever. It's not a tangible thing, is it? Having a baby. That's a tangible success," she said.

That said, Streisand and her first husband, Elliot Gould, welcomed their one and only child, Jason Gould, in 1966. Meanwhile, the couple's marriage hit rock bottom.

Streisand & Elliot Part Ways

Elliot and Streisand split three years after their son's birth; by 1971, the pair had officially divorced. Regardless of his parent's divorce, Jason has maintained good relationships with them over the years. His mom and dad could not be prouder of how well he has turned out.

In 1999, Streisand gushed about her only son, raving about his character and his talents while adding that having him in her life is nothing but a blessing:

"I would never wish for my son to be anything but what he is. He is bright, kind, sensitive, caring, and a very conscientious and good person. [...] I have truly been blessed. [...] I have a wonderful son."

The mother of one showed just how much she loved her son when she accepted that he was a gay man. Jason came out to his parents in 1988, and in January 2001, he opened up about his sexuality when asked if he had always known:

"I had my first gay impulse when I was probably about 8 years old. I had a sleepover with all these boys, and I kind of rolled over into the guy next to me, hoping he would touch me."

When asked whether he could decipher his feelings at the time, the New York native explained that he felt a strong connection and wanted to be touched. At the same time, he did not want to be the initiator.

Jason shared that having to grow up knowing his sexuality made him isolate himself. "There's no support. Somehow you know that it's not OK to be who you are. You have this shame and guilt – this fear. It takes years to break through," he expressed.

When asked when he eventually came to terms with being gay, Jason said it was not a spur-of-the-moment experience because he felt attracted to the opposite sex too. His first sexual encounter was at age sixteen:

"[...] I was afraid for many years, and it took me a while to be comfortable with my sexuality."

When asked about breaking the news to his parents, the actor revealed he told them when he was 21 years old. However, Jason did not tell his mom and dad simultaneously because they had already been divorced and living separate lives.

Still, his father Elliot played an integral role in his life, but his mom was the one who did most of the work raising him, he explained. That is because Jason lived with his mother all his life.

Asked how she reacted to him being gay, he said he told her that he was uncertain about his "sexual preference," adding he suspected that she was "already" aware of it.

When it came to Elliot, he was oblivious to what was going on. Jason disclosed that he took the news hard, adding it was probably because of his old-fashioned mindset:

"I think he thought it was a phase and that I would grow out of it. But he is of another generation."

Since coming out, his mother has taken the initiative to speak on behalf of the LGBTQ community, advocating for them. Jason said besides him being forthcoming about his sexuality, his mom has always been about equal rights. "She's very passionate about human rights," he divulged.

Meanwhile, in September 2017, Jason's father spoke candidly about his cordial relationship with his mom. Elliot stated that his former wife was still an important part of his life.

At the time, Streisand had already remarried Emmy Award-winning actor James Brolin, and Elliot said, "he is very nice to me." Moreover, when she celebrated her 75th birthday, he acknowledged her.

Jason Followed in His Mother's Footsteps

In addition, the former couple's son is the spitting image of his mother. Jason turned 54 on December 29, 2020, and his mom paid tribute to him on Instagram and captioned the post: "Happy birthday to my darling son, Jason."

The proud parent shared two throwback photos featuring her and young Jason – including a recent one showing her cuddling up to him as they smiled, leaning on each other.

Streisand's post was flooded by fans' comments who sent Jason well wishes while also mentioning the striking resemblance between him and his mother.

"Great pictures, so sweet. Wow, he looks like his Mama!" said one Instagram user. Another social media user stated her desire to be a mom to a boy child and said it must be a thrilling experience: "Your son looks so like you!"

A third follower complimented the mother and son duo on their appearance: "Wow, look-alikes! Both gorgeous." One person said Jason looks like a version of Streisand but with "dark hair."

Another said he is attractive and touched on his physical features: "How handsome and has his mama's nose." One individual commented: "Your twin," while another reiterated-on Jason's good looks and likeness to his mother.

Jason not only looks like his mom but also follows in her singing career footsteps. In December 2017, he discussed how his singing aspirations came about ahead of the release of his first full-length album, "Dangerous Man."

When asked whether he wrote original songs himself, Jason revealed that he did, adding that it all began when he was a child who used to experiment with a musical instrument:

"I was a kid who came up with melodies. I would sit at the piano and work out chord progressions I liked, but I never had the confidence to complete a song."

Then came a window of opportunity when Jason attended a Marianna Williamson lecture as he met musical artist Marsha Malamet, who "asked [to] listen to my song ideas," he explained. That encounter led to the introduction of Alan Roy Scott, whom he collaborated with on songs on his album.

Following that experience, Jason had to tap into his talent as a performer. He had to learn to perform in front of multitudes of fans – "18,000" of them, to be exact.

That occurred on his mom's tour, and he said it took a lot of praying to achieve because he could not anticipate the outcome. But it all worked out, and Streisand was "very supportive and encouraging" to her child.

Asked whether recording his music gave him added pressure, the singer admitted that he comes across judgment and comparisons all the time, which is something beyond his "control." Jason said the most important thing for him is to be "authentic" regardless of who his mom is because none of it matters.