Straight Parent, Gay Kid
It’s Not “Sitting on the Fence” and Other Myths Busted
In our gender binary society, bisexuals or simply “bis” are given a bum rap. They are criticized for “sitting on the fence” and not choosing to either be a lesbian or a heterosexual. Lesbians don’t like them because they sleep with the enemy. Some see them as sexually greedy because they have sex with…
LGBT Terms Defined: The Gender Spectrum
It seems that society, or at least Hollywood, is becoming more sexually fluid and doesn’t like their orientation pigeonholed. At the same time, there are more labels for the LGBT population than Starbuck’s has flavors of coffee. To demystify some of the words and acronyms, here’s a glossary of LGBT terms. Asexual: A person who…
Holiday No-Nos for Straight Parents
Christmas is a wonderful family holiday. A chance to regale about the past get-togethers, to guffaw about the near misses with the gravy. Subject Verboten, For Now… However, one topic that should be off limits in this group setting is your daughter’s or son’s sexual orientation. Even if you are bursting to divulge the news…
When Homophobia Greets You For The Holidays
If you’re LGBT, you know that the holidays can be particularly stressful. You can feel like an outsider in your parents’ home. The feeling may be so uncomfortable that you want to crawl back in the closet. Treated Differently Your Auntie Claire may not ask you about your significant other, but she inquires your sister…
“Stop, Look, and Listen”
The no. 1 complaint I hear from gay teens or adults whom I interview is that their parents don’t listen to them. When they summon their nerve to come out to their parents and should have the mike, the parents interrupt by saying “You can’t be!” “You’re too young to know!” “It’s just a Phase!”…
November is National Adoption Month
Did you know that LGBTQ parents are four times more likely to be raising an adopted child? And six times more likely to be raising a foster child? Erroneous Studies Yet there are judges who still contend that children are better off (more emotionally and mentally stable) when raised by a mother and…
Holidays Not A Good Time For Introductions!
While visiting at Thanksgiving with your new boyfriend in tow may seem like a perfect time for a quorum of your family to meet your special one, think again. Norman Rockwell, it’s not! It’s not a pretty picture when you can’t ingratiate your significant other – when everyone is preoccupied with unlumping the…
Talking To Your Kids About Sex
Perhaps, it would make it easier for a parent to adapt to the realization that her child is gay if she considers it a possibility from the start. In today’s society, you can’t presume that everyone is heterosexual. (Sex Education classes that preach abstinence-only or have information only applicable to heterosexuals are missing…