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

Contents:

• YOUR CHILD JT TOLD YOU HE'S GAY. NOW WHAT?
• WHAT TO DO WHEN YOUR CHILD SAYS: "I'M GAY"
• THIS IS HOW I REALLY REACTED WHEN MY SON TOLD ME HE WAS GAY
• RPONDG TO TEEN CHILD WHO SAYS HE’S GAY
• RPONDG TO ADULT CHILD WHO SAYS HE’S GAY
• OUR SEVEN-YEAR-OLD SON TOLD HE WAS GAY
• MY SON TOLD ME THAT HE IS GAY. I KICKED HIM OUT OF MY HOE
• 10 YEAR OLD SON HAS TOLD ME HE THKS HE'S GAY
• THIS IS HOW I FELT WHEN MY SON TOLD ME HE WAS GAY
• HOW TO ACCEPT THAT YOUR CHILD IS GAY, LBIAN OR BISEXUAL
• MY SON TOLD ME HE’S GAY AND I’M STGGLG TO ACCEPT
• IS YOUR CHILD GAY?
• IS MY SON GAY OR IS A PHASE?
• MY SON MIGHT BE GAY. WHAT SHOULD I SAY TO HIM?

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

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.

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.

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

Take the extra step and show your child that you are terted beg the parent of a gay child.

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

Edute yourself on what means to be gay, lbian, bisexual or transgenr. PFLAG, or Parents for Lbians and Gays, which now has a group for transgenr youth, and holds natnwi chapters and meetgs;. When parents learn that their child is gay, lbian, bisexual, or transgenr, they n experience a range of emotns.

RPONDG TO TEEN CHILD WHO SAYS HE’S GAY

As a matter of fact, you might someday look back and fd that you are grateful for the experience of havg a gay or lbian child. Well, my study of 65 fai of gay and lbian youth for the book, Comg Out, Comg Home: Helpg Fai Adjt to a Gay or Lbian Child, I found that some parents get to the pot where they believe that the experience of havg a gay child actually ma them a better person—more open-md and sensive to the needs of others, particularly those other mory groups.

If you jt found out your child is gay, lbian, bisexual, or transgenr, you may be thkg that such ias are prepostero. The tstworthy nfidants let them vent but also rrected some of the misperceptns they absorbed om society, such as that gay people are lonely, unhappy, promiscuo, not fay-oriented, unable to have children, or sted for an unhappy life. Contact Parents, Fay, and Friends of Lbians and Gays (PFLAG).

List of Helpful Books for Parents of Gay and Lbian Children.

RPONDG TO ADULT CHILD WHO SAYS HE’S GAY

Straight Parents Gay Children: Keepg Fai Together (revised edn). Beyond Acceptance: Parents of Lbians, and Gays Talk About Their Experienc. Somethg to Tell You: The Road Fai Travel when a Child is Gay.

Comg Out, Comg Home: Helpg Fai Adjt to a Gay or Lbian Child.

Fortunate Fai: Catholic fai wh lbian dghters and gay sons. Mom, Dad, I'm Gay: How Fai Negotiate Comg Out. “I’m gay.

OUR SEVEN-YEAR-OLD SON TOLD HE WAS GAY

I have had gay iends (and been eply hurt and disappoted when beme obv. He never wanted to be gay. To iends of me who may have gay children, or be gay themselv, please five me for my ignorance.

MY SON TOLD ME THAT HE IS GAY. I KICKED HIM OUT OF MY HOE

I don’t know if I’ll ever be “okay” wh the gay liftyle, but right now, I am okay wh my son beg gay, and right now, that is all that matters.

10 YEAR OLD SON HAS TOLD ME HE THKS HE'S GAY

What would you do if your child told you they were gay? Before we say anythg else, know that our hearts go out to you the pa and nfn of hearg your teen son tell you that he’s gay. You might even feel that you need to qutn or re-exame your own beliefs about homosexualy.

What led you to believe that you might be gay? There’s no need to jump to nclns by llg yourself “gay, ” “bi, ” “trans, ” or anythg else.

After all, many people have felt same-sex attractn whout adoptg the “gay” label.

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

Enurage him to openly exprs the feelgs, wants, hop, and fears he’s gog through whout assigng them to any specific tegory such as “gay” or “straight.

HOW TO ACCEPT THAT YOUR CHILD IS GAY, LBIAN OR BISEXUAL

When Homosexualy Hs Home. The Complete Christian Gui to Unrstandg Homosexualy.

101 Frequently Asked Qutns About Homosexualy. Unrstandg Male Homosexualy: God’s Power to Change Liv. Someone I Love is Gay.

When a Loved One Says, “I’m Gay”. How to Talk to Your Children About Homosexualy. Homosexualy (rource list).

MY SON TOLD ME HE’S GAY AND I’M STGGLG TO ACCEPT

Support for Parents of Child Who Says He’s Gay. Unrstandg Homosexualy.

Parent Concerned That Teen Might Be Homosexual. Is My Teen Stgglg Wh Homosexualy? Parent Spects That Child Might Be Gay.

Are People Born Gay?

IS YOUR CHILD GAY?

Reliable Rourc for Teachg Children About Marriage, Sexualy and Homosexualy. Don’t be surprised if you feel shaken or pelled to qutn or exame your own beliefs on the subject of homosexualy the light of this experience.

There’s no absolute need to foreclose on a label for yourself by llg yourself ‘gay, ’ ‘bi, ’ ‘trans, ’ or anythg else.

IS MY SON GAY OR IS A PHASE?

After all, many people have felt same-sex attractns whout adoptg the ‘gay’ label. This means enuragg your son to talk openly about the feelgs, wants, hop, and fears he’s gog through whout assigng them to any specific tegory (“gay” or “straight”). When Homosexualy Hs Home: What to Do When a Loved One Says They’re Gay.

MY SON MIGHT BE GAY. WHAT SHOULD I SAY TO HIM?

The Complete Christian Gui to Unrstandg Homosexualy: A Biblil and Compassnate Rponse to Same-Sex Attractn. Someone I Love is Gay – (YouTube Lk). When A Loved One Says, “I’m Gay”.