A selection of books designed to help parents, friends, and family members navigate their feelings and experiences when their child comes out.
This is a Book for Parents of Gay Kids: A question & answer guide to everyday life
Dan Owens-Reid & Kristin Russo
Written in an accessible Q&A format, here, finally, is the go-to resource for parents hoping to understand and communicate with their gay child. Through their LGBTQ-oriented site, the authors are uniquely experienced to answer parents' many questions and share insight and guidance on both emotional and practical topics. Filled with real-life experiences from gay kids and parents, this is the book gay kids want their parents to read.
The Gender Identity Guide for Parents: Compassionate advice to help your child be their most authentic self
Tavi Hawn, LCSW
Nurture and celebrate your child’s true self with this parent’s guide to gender identity
Talking with your child about gender identity can seem overwhelming—but with the right guidance, you can have healthy conversations and create an affirming environment for them as they grow. Whether your child is cisgender, gender expansive, transgender, or still unsure, this guide provides practical advice and strategies to help you embrace them for who they are and support them as they approach puberty.
Learn the basics—Refresh your knowledge on gender identity and gender expression.
Discover anecdotes and advice—Build your confidence as a parent with expert strategies and relatable stories from other parents.
Cover important topics—Learn how to unravel your personal biases and maintain open communication.
Create a safe and inclusive space for your child to explore themselves with The Gender Identity Guide for Parents.
Thriving Through Transition: Self-Care for parents of Transgender Children
Denise O'Doherty, LPC, MSN, LMFT, RN
Mom, Dad - I’m transgender” In one second our lives can change forever and that is what happens to many parents when a child “comes out” and tells them they are transgender. Even if you had a suspicion that something was “different” about your child, parents still experience a multitude of conflicting feelings about how this will affect their child, themselves, their family and others in their lives. Whether your child is 5 or 50, most parents are not prepared to know what to say, what do next or how to care for themselves in the process of what is about to unfold in their lives.
This book was written to make it easier for parents. To give parents insight and awareness to understand what happens to them when their child “comes out” as transgender and to give parents direction and effective suggestions on how to deal with the many issues parents commonly face with a transgender child. Issues include dealing with grief, denial, depression, anger, shame and guilt. Knowing what to say to others and how to deal with resistance. How to deal with religious, cultural and social issues. Most importantly, how parents can reach a level of acceptance and why this is essential for the parent. It emphasizes the importance of love and compassion deserving not only to transgender children but especially to the parents who raise them.
In addition to parents, this book can educate family members, teachers, educators, clergy, counselor’s therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists, nurses, other related healthcare professionals and anyone who loves a transgender person.
Rainbow Parenting: Your Guide to Raising Queer Kids and Their Allies
Lindz Amer
An essential guide for parents and caregivers to raising queer-friendly children in a gender-affirming space.
In the face of so many injustices across society for LGBTQ+ people, it can be easy for parents of young children to feel helpless and hopeless. While they may not be able to address every problem across the country, there's a simple place to right at home.
Rainbow Parenting is an indispensable stepping stone for adults who want to raise and teach kids in a queer and gender-affirming way, but might not know how. Lindz Amer, the creator of Queer Kid Stuff, an award-winning LGBTQ+ educational webseries for children and families, is an expert guide, leading readers through practical applications, important LGBTQ+ history, key lessons in intersectionality, pronouns, social justice, and more. Divided by sections that address kids' individual ages―from infancy to kindergarten―this joyful and approachable book shares a bit of hope and starts with the understanding that anyone can spread queer joy.
By giving parents and their kids a vocabulary to express themselves, Rainbow Parenting ultimately aims to create more empathetic adults―and spreads a message of radical acceptance in a world where it's sometimes dangerous to just be yourself.