This workshop was hosted live on the date noted above, you can view the recording and download the handouts below.
Join us for a special and inclusive parenting workshop that celebrates National Coming Out Day.
Come together in a welcoming space with parents and caregivers like yourself. Gain the knowledge and skills needed to support your child to feel safe about exploring and expressing their identity. Discover ways to create an environment that fosters your child to come out when they are ready. Navigating coming out is unique to each individual. Using specific language, creating opportunities and space, and demonstrating allyship can all help your child know that when they do choose to come out, they can do so safely with you.
Coming out is not a one-time event. Many LGBTQ+ individuals who come out to their closest family and friends may later come out at school or work, to their extended family, or to casual acquaintances. For some, coming out is no longer a big deal – it can be a simple matter of correcting someone’s assumptions about themselves or introducing their partner. For others, coming out is still a huge challenge. The very real fear of facing discrimination, bullying, or judgement can cause LGBTQ+ kids to stay ‘in the closet,” struggling with anxiety and/or depression while they strive to be themselves. Hear examples of real coming out stories including what helps and what doesn’t.
If you believe that your child may identify or is exploring identity as LGBTQ+ this workshop may be a lifeline. LGBTQ+ youth are four times as likely to attempt suicide as their peers. It is not because they are inherently prone to this risk because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. This increased risk is due to how they are mistreated and stigmatized in society. One accepting adult can decrease your child’s risk by 40%. Even if your beliefs or faith position conflicts with your child’s LGBTQ+ identity, you can find ways to navigate your relationship so that it communicates love and acceptance on a daily basis. You’ll never agree on everything with your kids, but regularly communicating the depth of your connection is a powerful protective factor in a complicated world.
