What to Do When Your Child Says: "I'm Gay" | Psychology Today

thought daughter or gay son

"I'm OK - You're OK." That tchy tle is repeated oftentim to this day unselg parents how to handle a son or dghter revealg they are gay or lbian. "Don't be judgmental. Convey unndnal love. Accept them as they are. Realize they're born this way. Reassure them you're okay and they're okay whatever sexual inty they choose."

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YOUR CHILD JT TOLD YOU HE'S GAY. NOW WHAT?

Many parents stggle for years to adjt after learng child is gay, acrdg to a new study om Gee Washgton Universy public health rearchers. * thought daughter or gay son *

For straight parents, havg a child reveal that he is gay n be a jolt. You might ask how long he or she has known, and why he feels he is gay, bi, or trans, suggts Jonathan Tobk, M.

MANY PARENTS STGGLE TO ADJT AFTER LEARNG CHILD IS GAY, STUDY FDS

When a child first out as eher beg gay or havg same-sex attractn their parents' ial rpons are ually the wrong on, says Chris Doyle, a psychotherapist who specializ SSA. * thought daughter or gay son *

D., a psychiatrist private practice New York Cy and the -thor of When Your Child Is Gay: What You Need to Know. You n fd one through the Associatn of Gay and Lbian Psychiatrists.

Take the extra step and show your child that you are terted beg the parent of a gay child. Edute yourself on what means to be gay, lbian, bisexual or transgenr.

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOUR CHILD SAYS: "I'M GAY"

PFLAG, or Parents for Lbians and Gays, which now has a group for transgenr youth, and holds natnwi chapters and meetgs;. ” Fally, Amanda buried her head her pillow and said, “I’m gay. A new study nducted by rearchers at Gee Washgton Universy found that most parents of lbian, gay, and bisexual youth have difficulty adjtg after their kids e study says is one of the first to systematilly exame the experience of parents raisg lbian, gay and bisexual children.

HOW CHRISTIAN PARENTS SHOULD RPOND TO THEIR CHILD'S GAY INTY CRISIS

”The study found that Ain Amerin and Lato parents have a harr time acceptg their lbian, gay and bisexual children, as do the parents of children who e out at a later study, which surveyed a much larger sample size than prev studi, nfirmed smaller studi that showed parents’ negative reactns tend to ease over time; the first two years are the harst for were no signifint differenc reactns between mother and father, the age of the parent, or the genr of the child. The study did not exame the reactns for the parents of transgenr general, acceptance seems to be growg rapidly for lbian, gay and bisexual youth.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOUR CHILD SAID, 'I'M GAY'?

There’s a lot of kids my school who are gay. Growg up, I was a tomboy — or what Larry David would later ll “pre-gay.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* THOUGHT DAUGHTER OR GAY SON

What Would You Do If Your Child Said, 'I'm Gay'?.

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