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

Contents:

• JT BEE HE BREATH: LEARNG TO TLY LOVE OUR GAY SON
• DEAR PARENT OF A GAY CHILD
• THIS IS HOW I REALLY REACTED WHEN MY SON TOLD ME HE WAS GAY
• WHAT TO DO WHEN YOUR CHILD SAYS: "I'M GAY"
• I’M PROUD OF BEG GAY BEE HELPED SHAPE WHO I AM AS A PERSON, WHILE NOT ULTIMATELY FG ME.

JT BEE HE BREATH: LEARNG TO TLY LOVE OUR GAY SON

A 78-year-old mother of a gay male reported, “We were forced to re‐exame cultural ias that we had never qutned before, and we found them to be limg and unjt. ” Siarly, a 77-year-old father of a gay male shared that havg an LGBTQ+ child “has led my wife and I to rethk many of our bias. A 75-year-old father of a gay male reunted, “Workg for a e that we strongly believe is right has given add purpose and meang to our liv.

” And a 57‐year‐old mother of a gay male echoed this same sentiment, sharg, “We are proud of our son and he enrich our liv so many different ways. He is a gift to the world, ” said one 68-year-old mother of a gay male. A 73‐year‐old mother of a gay son attributed this closer bond to cultivatg more transparency wh him, statg, “When he [my gay son] ultimately tsted me wh his eper tth, only epened our relatnship.

DEAR PARENT OF A GAY CHILD

” Another parent, a 61‐year‐old mother of a gay male nnected the closer nnectn to the shared experience of nontg cultural sigma together, sharg:. “I’m Proud of My Gay Son, ” Dick Ashworth (far right) and other parents, Christopher Street Liberatn Day Para, June 24, 1974.

PFLAG (Parents and Friends of Lbians and Gays).

This Is a Book for Parents of Gay Kids: A Qutn & Answer Gui to Everyday Life.

THIS IS HOW I REALLY REACTED WHEN MY SON TOLD ME HE WAS GAY

By now u probably have an ia of what i am about to says: I am gayRyan says: i n't believe i jt told youMom says: Are you jokg?

Ryan says: i know i amRyan says: i don't like hannahRyan says: 's jt a ver-upMom says: but that don't make you says: i knowRyan says: but u don't unrstandRyan says: i am gayMom says: tell me moreRyan says: 's jt the way i am and 's somethg i knowRyan says: u r not a lbian and u know that.

Ryan says: i am jt gayRyan says: i am thatMom says: I love you no matter whatRyan says: i am whe not blackRyan says: i knowRyan says: i am a boy not a girlRyan says: i am attracted to boys not girlsRyan says: u know that about yourself and i know thisMom says: what about what God thks about actg on the sir? Not that we didn't know and love gay people; my only brother had e out to several years before, and we adored him. The feelgs you've had for other guys don't make you gay.

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

So please don't tell anyone that you are gay. Your inty is not that you are gay; is that you are a child of love you. He read all the books that claimed to know where his gay feelgs me om, dove to unselg to further disver the whys of his unwanted attractn to other guys, worked through paful nflict rolutn wh my hband and me and built strong iendships wh other guys -- straight guys -- jt like the reparative therapy experts advised.

And we lost the abily to love our gay son, bee we no longer had a gay son. What we had wished for, prayed for, hoped for -- that we would not have a gay son -- me te.

But not at all the way we had, when I thk back on the fear that erned all my reactns durg those first six years after Ryan told he was gay, I crge as I realize how foolish I was. Now, whenever Rob and I jo our gay iends for an eveng, I thk about how much I would love to be visg wh Ryan and his partner over dner.

I’M PROUD OF BEG GAY BEE HELPED SHAPE WHO I AM AS A PERSON, WHILE NOT ULTIMATELY FG ME.

14, 2013, which would have been Ryan's 24th is now posted, along wh other blog posts, at sonGay ChildrenLGBT kidsParents Of Gay kidsgay kids. Fay Life Dear Parent of a Gay Child, You are not alone.

You may have grown up thkg that gay people f to a certa five mold, and your child acted “straight” through the years, only to seemgly sudnly reveal their same-sex attractn. Most of have heard of the LGBT words: lbian, gay, bisexual, and transgenr. Others entst only their parents wh their secret until the timg is right to tell may feel happy, relieved, sad, sred, angry, nfed, or all of the above when you fd out your child is gay.