Straight Parent, Gay Kid
New Year’s Resolution: Accept Your Child’s Sexual Orientation
Don’t Assume You Know Best!If your child comes out, believe his/her/they. Who would know better? Don’t try to second guess them or try to convert them to heterosexuality. These efforts fail, according to research.In order to love them unconditionally, support them and their attempts to be true-to-themselves.Suggestions for AcceptingIf you have trouble accepting in the…
Coming Out: Don’t Spring It On Your Relatives During Holidays
Chances are you may see your relatives on few occasions: Thanksgiving, Christmas, and possibly a milestone birthday. 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. You don’t want to usurp and…
World AIDS Day has almost Come and Gone, but HIV and AIDS Linger.
What Is World AIDS Day? Started in 1988, WORLD AIDS Day was the first global health day. We remember what was considered a plague (AIDS) back then and how it took the lives of 100,000 + New Yorkers alone. It’s a day to acknowledge our progress in HIV prevention and treatment around the world and…
Are You Transgenderally Aware?
This past week was annual Transgender Awareness Week, culminating today in Transgender Remembrance Day against transphobia. I have been thinking all week of a transgender man whom I interviewed for my co-authored book When Your Child Is Gay: What You Need To Know (Sterling, 2016). This young man had told me that if he hadn’t…
What’s With The Profiles This Week?
This week, I noticed that Facebook people had turned their profiles gray, black or white. I thought they might have done this for upcoming Halloween. Upon closer observation, I learned that those faces had turned color for National Asexual Awareness Week, celebrated October 23-29th this year. Listen, Believe and Respect Founded in 2010 by Sara…
Is Religion Getting In The Way of Coming Out?
Last week, I was invited to a Pride Club at a Catholic College in Westchester County. October is National Coming Out month and I was at the college to answer questions from club members about how to come out to parents. As a gay son’s straight mother who had written an advice book When Your…
What is Bisexual Awareness Week? Why Have It?
September 19-26 is Bisexual Awareness Week, first celebrated in 1999. Friday, September 23rd is Bisexuality Day started by three U.S. bisexual rights activists: Wendy Curry of New Hampshire and President of BiNet USA, an American National bisexual civil rights organization, Michael Page of Florida and Gigi Raven Wilbur of Texas. Recognized in the United States…
Guilty By Association
Gay Bachelor On Reality TV Show Fired From Job I never liked Reality TV much. Not my generation, I guess. However, when our son watched Jersey Shore, I would occasionally watch as I thought Snooki had a good sense of humor. I showed a passing interest in Heather Dubrow of The Real Housewives of Orange…
SEPTEMBER IS SUICIDE PREVENTION MONTH
What is It? Suicide Prevention Month helps promote resources and awareness around the issues of suicide prevention. National Suicide Day is September 10th and is intended for the public to reach out to those affected by suicide, raise awareness and connect individuals with suicide ideation (thinking about suicide and actually constructing a plan for it)…