If your child is LGBT, what do you say and do?

Here we are again in Pride month 2025. The species began the year after Stonewall’s uprising on June 28, 1969. That day, police attacked Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in Greenwich Village. Such raids were common in gay bars in NYC, but this time after persecution, the patrons were fully judged and faced with police and evacuated to the very bar they had attacked.

Now, over 50 years later, almost all the interests made for the rights of LGBTQ people – anti-passdiscrimination Law, abolishing anti-sodomy laws, legalizing homosexuals marriage,Other – under attack. The current administration, right-wingers, religious groups, and even national courts, have broad attempts to erase these interests.

I hesitate to use worn-out cliches, but it appears that people declare yet another “war” to LGBTQ citizens, without understanding or compassionate the incredible damages that will be inflicted on them and their families.

The facts are clear

As a 40-year therapist specializing in relationships sexual TreatmentI have seen the emotional and physical devastation caused by this rejection of truth. This means that we have a broad range of sexual identities as humans. Denying this in favor of a simpler spirit that refuses to accept our differences leads to isolation, exploitation, violence and even death of people who do not fit into the acceptable, culturally and politically recognized categories of “men” and “female.”

Post-study research clearly shows that alienation among LGBTQ people, especially young people, is a recipe for mental and emotional disasters. For one, the Trevor project documents the following facts:

• LGB youth are almost five times more likely to have tried it suicide Compared to heterosexual youth.¹
• LGB youth take suicide seriously, almost three times as much as heterosexual youth.¹
• Each episode of LGBT victimization, such as physical or verbal harassment and abuse, increases the likelihood of self-harm by 2.5 times more than average.²
• 40% of transgender adults reported attempted suicide. 92 people reported attempting suicide by the age of 25.³

It’s not evading me Note References to previous research conducted by the Centers for Disease Control on Teenage Suicide showed that LGB youth had a suicide rate of 31%. Politics In reality.

And now here is the statistics I want to focus on:

• LGB youth who came from high rejection from family members were 8.4 times more likely to have attempted suicide by LGB peers who also reported a lower level of family rejection.⁴

Are you an LGBT child or do you want a dead child?

This question is a meme you might find on the internet. It represents groups like the Family Acceptance Project have documented and informed people about the importance of families accepting and supporting LGBTQ children. They found that high rejection by the family leads to young people such as:

• It’s eight times more likely that he tried to commit suicide
• Six times more likely to be possible to report high levels depression
• Three times more likely to use illegal drugs
• Three times higher risk for HIV and STI

These findings confirmed that acceptance of LGBTQ children’s families is the greatest protective factor for negative physical and mental health outcomes. However, acceptance of families presents some serious challenges. Family often go when kids come out of the closet like LGBTQ In the closet. If they choose to support their children, they must suffer against cultural norms. In other words, they have to deal with themselves coming out of the closet by their neighbors, family and friends.

If the child is diagnosed Gender discomfort And because they want a transition, families face choices to support their children’s transition to men or women, reject children, frequently reject them, or put them in a world that is hard to accept.

Unfortunately, and dangerously, our country and its present leadership It appears to be putting toothpaste down, growing gender identity and acceptance, and trying to bounce back into the toothpaste tube. This is not the only US. In 2025, there are around 61 countries in the world that criminalize homosexuality. Children are not “matured” or “fascinated” Gender identitythey are born from it. I know that for many years as a clinical therapist, most people who I have identified as LGBTQ have made them come true. charm their own gender and their displeasure to them Identitywhether it’s a man or a woman, early on Childhood. That’s the reality, not ideology or promotion.

So what do you need?

It is mandatory for parents to find compassion within themselves when they discover that their child is beginning to question their identity and launches honest, supportive, non-judgmental conversations with them. Only then will these families avoid the possibility that their children will be blamed for exclusion, suffering, and even deathly life.

I have been giving this kind of advice for years at therapy meetings.

• Ask them openly.
• Please don’t shame they.
• Be positive.
• Reflect their words to them so that they know you are listening to them.
• Encourage them to tell you more about their thoughts and feelings.
• Examining their experiences without worrying about talking about sex.

Parents can find support for this challenge on sites such as PFLAG, Family Equity Council, LGBTQ National Help Center, Gay, Lesbian, Straight, and more education Network and Family Acceptance Project.

If you or someone you love is thinking of committing suicide, immediately seek help. Contact Crisis Textline by dialing 988 for your 24/7 Suicide Prevention Lifeline or by texting 741741. The Psychology Today Therapy Directory.