Discussing LGBT+ issues with children
As questioning one’s identity becomes more acceptable and normalized, more children and teens have come to discover their queer identities while also dealing with LGBT+ issues.
With that, more kids are finding themselves facing the tricky and often sensitive issue of coming out to parents, peers, and other people.
Why early discussion is necessary for LGBT+ issues
Many adults question whether or not they should discuss LGBT+ issues with their kids, especially since these involve relationships and other matters kids may not yet be dealing with in their lives.
However, discussing these issues early ensures children get the right information, and also allows them to feel safe and secure should they discover that they are LGBT+ themselves.
It allows children to know that they can count on your acceptance and support.
“One of the biggest fears we hear from youth is that their parents and important adults in their lives will stop loving them because they are ‘different’,” says Samantha King, a family support and education specialist in the Gender & Sexuality Development Clinic at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
King added, “Kids are very sensitive to a lack of support – wherever it comes from. As parents, we can be a buffer to negative talk and prevent long-term negative health outcomes.”
Discovering one’s queerness also often comes with a feeling of being different from ones’ peers.
Learning about different people and how to be accepting can also help kids feel less alienated if they start to make discoveries about themselves.
How to approach the conversation on LGBT+ issues
When starting early on, the conversation about gender and sexuality is best introduced by explaining that there are different kinds of people, and how these differences are normal.
This can be done with the aid of diverse books and media to help them visualize how not all people and families are the same.
When discussing with older children, you can start off with open-ended questions to get a better feel of what they already know, and use this chance to expound on their knowledge or make clarifications.
Throughout the process, it’s important to be open to their questions and maintain a positive tone.
Gender roles and stereotypes come into play earlier than we expect, and in fostering acceptance to those that defy them, we also enable children to be more open to themselves.
Before you approach your children about this however, it’s also important to begin with yourself to make sure the knowledge you’ll be passing on is accurate.
The community is constantly growing and changing, and doing additional research to catch up what you know can help you better supply your children with the right knowledge.
This will also equip you to better answer any further questions they might have on the topic.