Straight Parent, Gay Kid
Testing 1, 2, 3
In my last post, coinciding with STD Awareness Month, I wrote about the importance of discussing with your teen about condom use for vaginal, oral and anal sex to prevent STDs. Now it’s time, if you know your teen is sexually active, to urge them to get tested for STDs. But which tests to take?1. …
Advanced Sex Ed. for Parents of GLB Teens
Parents tend to squirm or blush in general when discussing sex with their children. As it shouldn’t be just one discussion, and should be incorporated into your family’s set of values, it helps to be more comfortable with the topic. But the straight parent of a gay, lesbian or bisexual teen has an even tougher…
It’s Not The Enda of ENDA
Buried in The Wall Street Journal, Thursday, April 12, 2012, in small font, was an article “Obama Won’t Issue Ban on Gay Discrimination.” It stated that Barack Obama won’t issue an executive order banning discrimination against gay and lesbian workers by federal contractors. For such a tiny piece, it has had major impact on the…
Book Review for Steven Petrow’s Complete Gay and Lesbian Manners
Marlo Thomas and Phil Donahue share a happy moment with Marlo’s niece Tracy (left) and her new spouse Tracey. Dilemma: You’re invited to a same-sex marriage. What do you call the two brides? a. companions (sounds as if they are in their “twilight” years) b. partners (remind you of a stuffy “white-shoe” law firm?) c….
Discussing Homosexuality With Your Kids
My guest blogger today is Leslie Penkunas, editor of nola baby and family magazine in New Orleans. Leslie has two children, ages 8 and 10, and blogs about parenting on her blog: theparentinggig.com Conversation Starter As editor of a parenting magazine, I review books or assign articles tackling myriad parenting topics—how to have a happy,…
“You’re Too Pretty To Be A Lesbian”
I hear this statement constantly from parents who can’t believe that their cutie daughter, who held the white patent leather pocketbook in nursery school, and is donning makeup and short skirts in high school, is gay.When your “girly girl” daughter “comes out” to you, please don’t deny her sexual orientation! Lesbians come in all shapes…
Privacy vs. The Right to Know
If you are suspicious your child may be gay, do you, as a parent, have the right to ask? I believe your kid will tell you she is gay when she is ready. You shouldn’t “out” her to others until she wants you to; after all, it’s her story that she may want to hold…
Is it Depression, Teenage Angst or Suicidal Thoughts?
Tyler Clementi, a gay Rutgers University freshman jumped to his death from the George Washington Bridge in 2010. Halyee Fentress and Paige Maravetz, two lesbian 14-year old girls, took their lives in sleepover suicide pact in Minnesota a year later. Eric James Borges, a gay filmmaker in California, killed himself last month. It seems as…
Modern Family Redefined: How and When to Tell Siblings of GLB Teens
It’s hard to know what to tell the sibling of a gay/lesbian teen. Should you or your gay teen divulge the news about his/her brother’s orientation? What should the sibling hear first? and from whom: his parent or the gay brother or sister? How should you approach the subject? While some parents may regard this…
What Do You Say to Your Child’s Coming Out?
I recently wrote a guest post for the Radical Parenting site. Here’s an excerpt: As a straight parent, you probably will find his announcement shocking, painful, and off-putting. Try not to respond with volcanic anger, silence or remarks negating his/her same-sex orientation. Remember that it is a supreme compliment that your child has revealed his…