A Parents’ Guide to Gender Identity and Sexual Identity
/Tips on how to talk to your teens about these complicated subjects
The month of June marks the month of PRIDE all around the country. It is a celebration of diversity and taking a positive stance against discrimination and violence toward lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. By promoting self-affirmation, dignity and equality, it serves to increase LGBTQ visibility as a social group, build community and celebrate sexual diversity and gender variance. PRIDE, as opposed to shame and social stigma, are the predominant shared values that bolster both the LGBTQ community and The Meeting House. PRIDE reminds us that love comes in many forms.
There is no one right way to discuss these topics and your own child’s sexuality or gender preference. While exploring gender identity and sexual orientation are a normal part of kids’ development, there is no user’s manual for talking to your kids about these issues or when exactly to open up the dialogue in a teen's developmental process. Current popular films such as Love Simon, are helpful in giving exposure and attempting to normalize same-sex relationships. However, as a parent, exploring your own child’s sexual orientation can be challenging. Many parents could use a primer on the new lingo and for this reason, we compiled resources in our Parents Guide to Gender and Sexual Identity To learn more about terminology, definitions and suggestions of how to talk to your own children please click here.
