Source: Washington Post
Now more than ever before, LGBT support groups and services are embracing the power of families, particularly parents, and their role in helping to support young individuals who identify as LGBT and who might feel lonely.
“The perception was that families rejected you, which meant you didn’t come out, and if you did, you prepared for the worst,” says Caitlin Ryan, a clinical social worker who directs the Family Acceptance Project, as reported by the Washington Post.
Thus, families weren’t involved or sought out for important conversations that LGBT youth were having.
But studies have shown that LGBT youth who don’t have the support of their families and who feel rejected by their parents or their religious community are more likely to go through emotional hardships and even contemplate or commit suicide.
Involving parents and family and informing them on how they can be supportive is an approach that more organizations and support groups are taking today to help improve services for LGBT youth.
Read Full Story: Washington Post
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