Straight Parent, Gay Kid

Who Owns The Cake?

Tomorrow, the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) will hear oral arguments about whether a Colorado baker has the right to refuse making a wedding cake for a same-sex couple. The couple, David Mullins and Charlie Craig, who were married in Massachusetts, complained for being turned down by the baker. It has resulted in a case, The…

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Coming Out: Is It A Good Idea During The Holidays?

Chances are you may see your relatives on few occasions.  Thanksgiving may be one of them.  Christmas may be the other.  You don’t want to upset the tone of the holidays by injecting a life-altering announcement that will either elicit a million questions or silence your guests who are unprepared for such news.  The news…

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It’s National Transgender Awareness Week, Nov. 13-17

Did you know that: ·      The F.B.I. released hate crime statistics for 2016 and highlighted the ongoing epidemic of anti-transgender violence in the U.S. ·      In 2016, advocates tracked 23 deaths of transgender people in the United States. ·      One in every 137 teenagers in the United States identifies as transgender. In our schools, transgender…

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November is National Adoption Month

I have two adopted children: a son, born in 1983, and a daughter, born in 1988.  Both were closed adoptions of infants through a well-known adoption agency in Manhattan. I have little medical information about the birthparents from my son’s adoption and precious little from my daughter’s adoption. I’m not sure it would have been…

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October is National Bullying Prevention Month

As an integral part of National Bullying Prevention Month, tomorrow is Spirit Day.  Does your child’s school have a GSA (Gay-Straight Alliance),  partake in GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network) sponsored activities? Will the students and faculty be wearing purple to show solidarity for LGBT youth and stand against bullying? Too many students are bullied…

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Why Do We Have National Coming Out Day?

National Coming Out Day is an annual LGBTQ Awareness Day on October 11.  It actually started on 1987 with the National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights.  Observed in the U.S. and Switzerland as well as seven other countries, you may see participants wearing pink triangles or carrying rainbow flags. Did you know…

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How To Be An Ally At Home

This week (September 25-29) K-12 students will celebrate Ally Week in schools across the United States.  Sponsored by GLSEN.org, (Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network) students will have activities that will display their support for their LGBT friends. An LGBT child’s home should be his haven.  How does a straight parent make it so all the…

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Tips for Straight Parents of LGBT Kids during Bisexual Awareness Week

Bisexual Awareness Week was this past week and ends today, September 24, 2017.  Yesterday was National Bisexual Day.  This day and week celebrates bisexuals who make up more than 50% of the LGBT community. There were teach-ins, poetry readings, concerts, festivals, parties and picnics calling attention to the bisexual community, their friends and supporters to…

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When The School Personnel Are The Bullies

What’s A Parent To Do? Schools must do all it can to help stop and prevent bullying it knows or should have known was happening in their district.  Otherwise, the school can become legally responsible if it has not done anything to prevent or stop this offensive behavior. Last week’s blog concerned a Missouri principal…

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Joey Slivinski & Thomas Swartz “Most likely to Succeed” (in my book anyway)

In most high schools across America, yearbooks contain quotes under seniors’ pictures.  You’re familiar with the common ones:  “The only way to have a friend is to be one,” or “She walks in beauty as the night.” Imagine the shock when Seniors Joey Slivinski and Thomas Swartz opened their yearbooks to find just their photos,…

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