Last Mother’s Day, we came up with a list of how to tell the truth about your sexuality to your mother. This Father’s Day, let’s tackle how to make your dad understand it.
Yes, dads are wont to be more protective of their daughters. As such, they might not believe you when you tell them that you’re a lesbian.
If there are fathers who can’t seem to understand that there’s such a thing as women-loving women, there are others who’ll feel a deeper sting for them over it.
So how do we make dear old Dad understand that we’re a lesbian?
#1: Help educate him about LGBT
Society has become more accepting of same-sex relationships. Because of this, more literature about accepting a daughter’s sexuality is now more available than ever before.
To help him absorb this reality and accept the fact that you prefer having a girlfriend, give him books to widen his view on LGBT.
If they blame themselves that you turned out to be who they are, there are books to help them see that no one is to blame and that being a lesbian is a blameless thing.
#2: Get him to talk to someone
It’s normal for a dad to worry as they’re usually more conservative with their daughters.
Will she get AIDS? Will she be bullied or discriminated against? Will she never have a normal life?
Because dads tend to internalize these things, they grapple with questions they themselves won’t be able to answer.
Find someone they can open up about their worries. If your Dad can’t find it in their heart to accept us, talking it out to someone could guide them in this process.
#3: Tell him understanding who you are is important to you
We all want acceptance. We all want our dads to accept our sexuality; it also aids our self-journey of being a lesbian.
We all know it’s not easy being a lesbian, but it would truly help if you feel support from your own family.
Get your Dad’s support and he’ll be your strongest defender.
#4: He will be a better person because of it
He will actually be grateful, according to Michael C. LaSala, who wrote the book Coming Out, Coming Home: Helping Families Adjust to a Gay or Lesbian Child.
“I found that some parents get to the point where they believe that the experience of having a gay child actually made them a better person– more open-minded and sensitive to the needs of others, particularly those in other minority groups,” LaSala wrote.
Being emphatic– and sympathetic– to other people helps him to understand you, especially this Father’s Day.