3 Great Guides for Parents of Queer Children

As a parent, your main goal is always to support your child. You try to prepare for that goal, but some unforeseeable and foreseeable challenges may arise. A key element of this preparation is to continue your educational journey of learning how to support your child, even through the difficult times that your child may be navigating.

This education is exceptionally important when it comes to the identity of your child. There may be a significant time when your child comes out to you as any or all of the identities that make up the LGBTQIA+ spectrum. You have agency and control over how you respond. It is your responsibility to educate yourself on how to acknowledge and hold space in those situations. Below, we provide three great books that will help you be the best parent you can be.

This is a Book for Parents of Gay Kids by Dan Owens-Reid and Kristin Russo

In an intimate question and answer collection, parents are given a clear idea of what their children might be experiencing. The stories mentioned in Owens-Reid and Russo’s book are deeply personal and help parents understand fully what their LGBTQIA+ children are going through. The stories are varied, touching on topics that may typically be overlooked, including complicated questions that you might be battling, like whether or not your child is safe to come out at school and how to make your child feel accepted. This book includes all of the answers you and your queer child might need.

Kristin Russo is an LGBTQIA+ activist, and fronts the organization’s Everyone Is Gay and My Kid Is Gay. Dan Owens-Reid is a trans “accidental activist” so, their advice is an invaluable resource.

Unconditional: A Guide to Loving and Supporting Your LGBTQ Child by Telaina Eriksen

The tips in this book come directly from a mother with experience in helping her child navigate being out in a world that isn’t always accepting. The book includes answers to difficult questions like helping your child who is queer or trans navigate sleepovers and school and helping educate other family members who don’t understand. Eriksen shares her own experiences and includes the voices and perspectives of other parents and queer kids.

This book is for a parent who truly wants to learn how to advocate for their queer child. From navigating how to exist in the family space to public awareness and advocacy, this book does well in arming parents with the knowledge to help their children in an impactful way.

The Pride Guide: A Guide to Sexual and Social Health for LGBT Youth by Jo Langford 

This guide supplies an empathetic approach to teaching your LGBTQIA+ child about their bodies and how to approach sexual relationships safely and effectively. Comprehensive sex education is quite lacking in the U.S in general but can be even worse when it comes to LGBTQIA+ sex and health education. Langford doesn’t shy away from the topics that teens and young adults want and need to know. Though some parents may feel awkward engaging in these discussions with their teens and young adults, this guide can help push through the complicated topics you may not feel equipped to educate on. Your teens will delve into their sexuality, and with this guide, you are ready to answer questions, ease confusion, and, more generally, create a space for upfront and honest conversations.

Langford is a qualified sex educator who provides a respectful and comprehensive guide to help your child understand themselves and navigate the world a bit easier.