The New Jersey Senate voted to deny marriage equality yesterday and the Perry v. Schwarzenegger Prop 8 case starts next week. Anti-equality rhetoric is ramping up in Iowa and New Hampshire as well. No matter the outcomes, there will be much in the news about the issues, including commentary from the anti-equality side. Those of us with children of a certain age may wonder how to help them understand the coverage and the negative comments about our families.
It seemed a good time, therefore to repost a link to the practical advice from SFGate’s “City Brights” writer and internist physican Doc Gurley on how to help your children cope with the emotions they may have felt as a result of the Prop 8 ruling. I think her tips apply broadly, no matter the state.
Here’s a summary of her main points—but definitely go read the whole thing if you’re in California, New Jersey, or any other jurisdiction with anti-LGBT measures in the news.
- Be tolerant of irritability, mood swings, anger, shame and grief.
- Frame the issue to allow for hope.
- Chart a path for the future that includes constructive acts, and and then take actual physical steps to achieve them.
- Try to protect your child from being re-traumatized.
- If you care about kids in a family that’s been affected, let your feelings be known.