We talked to experts about ways parents can support their LGBTQ kids — especially right now.
Marisol Garcia, a staff therapist who frequently works with queer children and families at the Family Institute at Northwestern University, suggests parents “encourage child to explore their identity in the home by creating a safe space for them to try out some of these changes."
"It's very important to understand, though, that if your child does not want to answer these questions, respecting the boundary is very key," she says. For instance, your child might be open to talking about their personal experiences or how they want to be identified, but not want to educate you on the queer experience or queer relationships in general, Garcia says.
"Some people tend to be like, 'Oh, no, I'm so, so sorry. I messed up.' And that's kind of making it about you and your mistakes," she explains. That also"puts the burden on the kid" to reassure you that everything's fine, she says."You have to take responsibility for your actions and what you did and then correct that in the future."
“The best thing to do is to let your child know you’re not an expert,” Pearson says, and to recognize that it's normal for parents to learn from their kids. “I taught my parents about Tamogatchis,” he says, and now he hears regularly from his clients that they're teaching their parents about issues of privilege and gender.
Affirming their identity doesn't have to mean"celebrating Pride month with a cake and rainbows and everything like that," Pearson says. Rather, it's more important to recognize that"my child may need me in a different capacity, and I want to show up for them in a way that makes them feel most valued and seen," he adds.
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