How to support my gay teen

If you're the parent of LGBTQ+ teens, you know that support means everything. Here, learn from the experts about some of the crucial ways to support your LGBT youth. Watching your child discover his or her traits, skills, and preferences is one of the most rewarding parts of being a parent. As your child learns and grows, you have a unique opportunity to experience the world with a fresh perspective and challenge long-held assumptions and beliefs. Though we should expect the possibility of our kids falling in love with someone of the same gender or experiencing attraction to multiple genders , many parents feel unprepared to support their gay or bisexual teen.

8 great resources to help parents and families support, love, and care for LGBTQ+ teens as they share their identity with more people. Raising kids is beautiful. And painful. Fraught with joy and worry and uncertainty.

How to Support Your Child in School Advocate for a gay-straight alliance (GSA), which has been shown to make schools safer and boost academic performance among LGBTQ students. Maintain frequent contact with teachers. That way, you’ll know when issues arise. Above all, don’t hesitate to speak up. Remember Self-Care Remember that you’re not. Topics mentioned: sexuality, how to talk to your child about mental health. Soon the row escalated into a heated debate about his human rights, and the next thing he blurted out:. As a parent, however prepared you might be for an announcement of this kind, you can never be totally sure how you are going to react.

The Family Acceptance Project has identified more than 50 specific behaviors that parents can use to show acceptance and support for their LGBTQ+ children. For example, it could include welcoming your teen’s LGBTQ+ friends at family events or using their new name and pronouns, says Ryan. In honor of National Coming Out Day October 11 , we celebrate those who bravely choose to live openly as LGBTQ. For LGBTQ teens, who are often reliant on the adults around them for support and protection, the decision to come out can be extra-emotional and filled with uncertainty. They may be deeply scared of suffering rejection or worse at the hands of loved ones.

If you're the parent of LGBTQ+ teens, you know that support means everything. Here, learn from the experts about some of the crucial ways to support your LGBT youth. When my year-old son came out as gay, it was an exciting time. But it was also a little stressful. Soon after my son came out, we were very lucky to meet Jim Obergefell , who went to the Supreme Court in with his husband John Arthur to help make same-sex marriage legal.

These spaces can be a local LGBTQ+ center, a gay-straight alliance at their school, their own home, a home of a friend or family member, youth conventions or safe online forums and + young people who have access to spaces that affirm their sexual orientation or gender identity (in person and online) have lower suicide attempts. .

How to Support and Empower Your LGBTQ+ Teen The teenage years are difficult, especially if your teen has come out as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning (LGBTQ+). In many ways they face the same issues as their heterosexual peers, but they also face unique mental health problems, stigmas and self-esteem issues. .

8 great resources to help parents and families support, love, and care for LGBTQ+ teens as they share their identity with more people. .