It's Probably Not A Phase
It's Probably Not A Phase
A family member coming out to you can be a shock to some, but how you react is a critical moment in your relationship with your loved one. We all, regardless of identity, need love and support. Oftentimes, for these family members, proclaiming who they love is one of the most dangerous situations to be in.
It is vital to note: not all LGBTQIA+ and Queer people choose to come out. Their identity is still valid whether it is public or private.
Respect them for their courage whether you are comfortable or not.
you can accept and love your family for who they are; or you can watch them make a life without you in it.
There is No Easy Way to Put This…
Over 400 bills have been introduced into Congress just in 2023 targeting LGBTQIA+ communities across the nation.
Regardless of political party, passing restrictions through forms of government not only paints a target on the back of someone you love; but voting for the politicians supporting these ideals tells that family member that their safety does not matter to you.
There’s Hatred In Your Neighborhood
Founded in January 2021, Moms For Liberty (M4L) claims to champion parental rights, but its journey reveals a web of controversy. Despite projecting a grassroots image, its founders and chapters maintain close ties to elected officials and draw support from vehemently anti-LGBTQ groups. A scorching June 2023 Vice News investigation exposed alarming links between M4L chapters and the notorious white nationalist group, the Proud Boys. In November 2023, M4L members took drastic action by filing a police report against a librarian in Florida merely for lending an age-appropriate YA novel to a teenager.
The intensity continued into the general election that same month, where approximately 70% of M4L-endorsed candidates met defeat in local school board races across the nation. Despite its rallying cry for "parents' rights," the majority of parents nationwide, as revealed by polling, vehemently reject M4L's push for bans on books and curriculum in schools. The fervor surrounding M4L's activities underscores a stark divide, with grassroots counter-activism from parents and educators playing a decisive role in pushing back against the group's controversial agenda.
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Generally speaking, gay is often used when referring to someone who is attracted to someone of the same sex. The term queer is used when referring to someone whose gender and/or sexuality does not align with heterosexuality or cisgender identities.
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I get it. Learning these terms at a time when the media portrays them as huge ideas can be intimidating and confusing. I’m here to tell you it really is simple. Cisgender refers to someone who appears and identifies with the sex assigned to them at birth. If you were born female, and look and identify as a woman, you are cisgender. The same thing works if you were born male and identify as a man.
Heterosexual refers to people who are attracted to the opposite sex.
This may be an important time to distinguish that gender refers to who you are in your mind (expression, mind, soul) and sex is what you are assigned at birth (often male/female).
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It is simply a choice in values. If you truly care for someone, and referring to them as how they choose to identify will make them happy, why wouldn’t you? Why not change a word or two to make someone happy? You already have a love for your family member, so let’s show it.
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Everyone messes up: it’s just a fact. What is important is that you keep trying. These conversations are uncomfortable, but they help take away the pain your loved one has most likely had to endure alone.
Ask questions, be open to saying the wrong thing, and remember it’s all about love.