Unconditional
Telaina Eriksen
17 min
7 Key Points
5 RateWhat's inside?
Discover practical advice and emotional support for parents navigating their child's LGBTQ journey, fostering a loving and accepting environment at home.
You'll learn
1. LGBTQ+ 101: What's it all about?2. Supporting your LGBTQ+ kid: How to do it right3. Standing up for your child's rights: School and beyond4. Dealing with discrimination: What to do5. Family chats: Why they matter6. Guiding your child's self-discovery journey: Tips and tricks.Key points
01Parenting an LGBTQ kid can be tough, but with the right help, you'll do great
Raising a child who identifies as LGBTQ can be a bit of a rollercoaster ride, but with the right tools and a whole lot of love, you can absolutely ace it. Let's break down this journey into bite-sized pieces: 1. The Big Reveal: When your kiddo opens up about their sexuality or gender identity, it's a big deal. It's super important to respond with a whole lot of love, acceptance, and understanding. This is a pretty emotional time for both of you, and how you react can shape your relationship moving forward. Make sure to reassure your child that your love for them is rock solid, and take some time to learn about LGBTQ issues. 2. The Teenage Years: This can be a tough time for LGBTQ kids, who often have to deal with bullying, discrimination, and a lack of understanding from their peers. As their parent, you can help them through these challenges by creating a safe and supportive home, standing up for them at school, and helping them find supportive communities and resources. 3. Keeping Spirits High: It's super important to keep reminding your child of their worth, especially in a world that often sidelines LGBTQ individuals. This can be as simple as using their chosen name and pronouns, celebrating their wins, and standing up for them when they face discrimination. 4. Raising a Transgender or Genderqueer Child: If your child identifies as transgender or genderqueer, there might be some extra challenges to navigate, like medical decisions related to hormone therapy or surgery. The best advice here is to listen to your child, seek advice from medical professionals and support groups, and respect their decisions about their own body. In a nutshell, raising an LGBTQ child can be a bit challenging due to societal prejudices and lack of understanding, but it's totally doable with the right knowledge and support. The secret sauce is to approach the journey with love, acceptance, and a willingness to learn and grow alongside your child.
02How you react to your kid's choices really matters. Be supportive
The way you react to your kid's life choices can make a world of difference, especially when they identify as LGBTQ. Let's break it down. Imagine your child gathers the courage to come out to you. It's a big deal for them, right? They're sharing a core part of who they are, and it's probably pretty nerve-wracking. How you react can really shape how they feel about themselves and their mental health. If you respond with open arms, love, and support, your kid is likely to feel validated and secure in who they are. They'll feel more comfortable being themselves and living as an LGBTQ individual. This kind of positive reaction can really strengthen your bond, encouraging open conversation and mutual respect. But, if you react with rejection, judgment, or anger, your kid might feel invalidated and ashamed. They could struggle with self-esteem, mental health issues, and even have trouble forming healthy relationships. This kind of negative reaction can really hurt your relationship with your child, leading to distance or conflict. Let's look at some real-life examples. There's a story about a young man who came out as gay to his parents. They responded with love and acceptance, assuring him that they loved him no matter what. This positive reaction helped the young man accept himself and live his truth. On the flip side, there's a story about a young woman who came out as lesbian to her parents. They reacted with anger and rejection, making the young woman feel ashamed and alone. This negative reaction really hurt her mental health and self-esteem. So, the bottom line is, how you react to your child's life choices, especially when it comes to their sexual orientation or gender identity, can really shape their lives. By responding with love, acceptance, and support, you can help your LGBTQ child thrive and live their truth. But, if you respond with rejection or judgment, it can harm their mental health and self-esteem. So, it's super important to react to your child's choices in a supportive and understanding way.
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03Less pressure, more support. Help your kids deal with peer issues
04Respect your kid's gender identity and find a safe community for them
05Stand up for your kids in social and family situations to boost their confidence
06Talk with your kids regularly to prepare them for the world outside
07Conclusion
About Telaina Eriksen
Telaina Eriksen is an American author, essayist, and professor at Michigan State University. She is known for her work on LGBTQ+ issues, particularly her book aimed at helping parents support their LGBTQ+ children. Eriksen's writings often explore themes of faith, feminism, and family.
