How do we discuss LGBTQ identities and issues with kids? Several recent articles have tackled this question, looking at it from the perspective of LGBTQ parents, LGBTQ youth, and non-LGBTQ folks.
- Eliza Byard, executive director of GLSEN, shares with Mashable “5 ways parents can talk to kids about LGBTQ identity.”
- At Romper, “13 Moms Share How They Explain LGBTQ People To Their Kids“—moms both queer and non-queer.
- The Washington Post explores “Why straight parents struggle to talk to their LGBTQ kids about sex and how to make it easier” (and why it’s so important to do so).
- John Culhane at Slate interviews Lisa Schuman, who runs workshops for kids with LGBTQ parents (and the parents themselves) to help them “prepare for a less-than-understanding world” and give them “the tools they need to tell their birth stories” and construct their own “family narrative.”
Often, too, books can help, either by offering specific explanations or simply depicting people of various genders and family structures. Here’s my collection of both children’s and grown-up books for and about LGBTQ identities and families.
How have you talked about LGBTQ-related topics with your kids? Please leave a comment!