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What would you do if your son/daughter told you they were gay? [W:302,308,330]

opendebate

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I learned a fair amount recently about the number of kids that end up on the street (homeless) because their parents kick them out of the house when they come out; heartbreaking in my opinion. There is little either of my children do (possibly nothing) that would prompt me to abandon them.

As many as 40 percent of homeless youth identify as LGBT, and a new Williams Institute study of youth shelters confirms this estimate. Between October 2011 and March 2012, 354 agencies completed surveys about their clients and found that about 40 percent of their homeless and non-homeless clients were LGBT (9 percent of whom identified as bisexual). About 30 percent of clients using housing-related services (like emergency shelter and transitional living programs) were LGBT.

What was particularly disconcerting about this study was how evident family rejection contributed to this disproportionate number of homeless LGBT youth:

Of all the agencies’ LGBT homeless clients, 68 percent have experienced family rejection and more than half (54 percent) experienced abuse in their family. Fortunately, nearly 80 percent of the service providers who work with clients under the age of 18 are doing family acceptance-related work, though only about half of providers working with older youth offer such resources.

The largest barriers to doing more work to reduce LGBT youth homelessness were insufficient state funding, insufficient local funding, and insufficient federal funding.

This data demands that more be done to support these agencies, but important than treating the symptom is treating the problem itself. Family rejection is devastating the lives of young people across the country, and very few organizations outside the Family Acceptance Project are addressing this issue. It’s all too easy to see LGBT homeless youth as an invisible population, but there is a very visible onslaught of anti-gay and anti-trans propaganda specifically targeting parents to raise their fears of the LGBT community. Rather than protecting children, the anti-gay efforts led by conservative evangelical Christians may very well be causing the exact kinds of child abuse that they blame LGBT people for.


STUDY: 40 Percent Of Homeless Youth Are LGBT, Family Rejection Is Leading Cause | ThinkProgress

What would you do?
 
I wouldn't do anything. And I sincerely hope I raise my children with enough love and compassion for them to realize they don't have to "come out", seeking approval for being who they are. Their sexuality is a non-issue, so long as their sexual behavior does not put them at risk (i.e. promiscuity or unprotected sex).
 
i'd react the same way that i would if the kiddo was straight.

by forbidding dating until age 30.

:lol:

just kidding. i'd be completely supportive. no kid of mine will ever be afraid to tell me the truth about his or her sexual orientation.
 
If it was a girl I'd be OK with it but if it was a boy he's on the street! Just sick humor, relax.:lol: Really though I'd do all I could to help them because they would need all the extra love and support they can get. Being different can be a tough row to hoe in this society.
 
I learned a fair amount recently about the number of kids that end up on the street (homeless) because their parents kick them out of the house when they come out; heartbreaking in my opinion. There is little either of my children do (possibly nothing) that would prompt me to abandon them.

As many as 40 percent of homeless youth identify as LGBT, and a new Williams Institute study of youth shelters confirms this estimate. Between October 2011 and March 2012, 354 agencies completed surveys about their clients and found that about 40 percent of their homeless and non-homeless clients were LGBT (9 percent of whom identified as bisexual). About 30 percent of clients using housing-related services (like emergency shelter and transitional living programs) were LGBT.

What was particularly disconcerting about this study was how evident family rejection contributed to this disproportionate number of homeless LGBT youth:

Of all the agencies’ LGBT homeless clients, 68 percent have experienced family rejection and more than half (54 percent) experienced abuse in their family. Fortunately, nearly 80 percent of the service providers who work with clients under the age of 18 are doing family acceptance-related work, though only about half of providers working with older youth offer such resources.

The largest barriers to doing more work to reduce LGBT youth homelessness were insufficient state funding, insufficient local funding, and insufficient federal funding.

This data demands that more be done to support these agencies, but important than treating the symptom is treating the problem itself. Family rejection is devastating the lives of young people across the country, and very few organizations outside the Family Acceptance Project are addressing this issue. It’s all too easy to see LGBT homeless youth as an invisible population, but there is a very visible onslaught of anti-gay and anti-trans propaganda specifically targeting parents to raise their fears of the LGBT community. Rather than protecting children, the anti-gay efforts led by conservative evangelical Christians may very well be causing the exact kinds of child abuse that they blame LGBT people for.


STUDY: 40 Percent Of Homeless Youth Are LGBT, Family Rejection Is Leading Cause | ThinkProgress

What would you do?

I don't know what sort of help I could give him, but I would try to get him some help.
 
I don't know what sort of help I could give him, but I would try to get him some help.

Interesting. What kind of help?
 
Interesting. What kind of help?

Read my post again. I said "I don't know what sort of help I could give him".

I would do anything for my wayward son. What ever it takes.
 
I learned a fair amount recently about the number of kids that end up on the street (homeless) because their parents kick them out of the house when they come out; heartbreaking in my opinion. There is little either of my children do (possibly nothing) that would prompt me to abandon them.

As many as 40 percent of homeless youth identify as LGBT, and a new Williams Institute study of youth shelters confirms this estimate. Between October 2011 and March 2012, 354 agencies completed surveys about their clients and found that about 40 percent of their homeless and non-homeless clients were LGBT (9 percent of whom identified as bisexual). About 30 percent of clients using housing-related services (like emergency shelter and transitional living programs) were LGBT.

What was particularly disconcerting about this study was how evident family rejection contributed to this disproportionate number of homeless LGBT youth:

Of all the agencies’ LGBT homeless clients, 68 percent have experienced family rejection and more than half (54 percent) experienced abuse in their family. Fortunately, nearly 80 percent of the service providers who work with clients under the age of 18 are doing family acceptance-related work, though only about half of providers working with older youth offer such resources.

What would you do?


I would accept it unequivocally. There would be no blame game, and no recriminations. Regardless of whether it is "choice or birth" he/she would have my full support.
 
Last edited:
I learned a fair amount recently about the number of kids that end up on the street (homeless) because their parents kick them out of the house when they come out; heartbreaking in my opinion. There is little either of my children do (possibly nothing) that would prompt me to abandon them.

As many as 40 percent of homeless youth identify as LGBT, and a new Williams Institute study of youth shelters confirms this estimate. Between October 2011 and March 2012, 354 agencies completed surveys about their clients and found that about 40 percent of their homeless and non-homeless clients were LGBT (9 percent of whom identified as bisexual). About 30 percent of clients using housing-related services (like emergency shelter and transitional living programs) were LGBT.

What was particularly disconcerting about this study was how evident family rejection contributed to this disproportionate number of homeless LGBT youth:

Of all the agencies’ LGBT homeless clients, 68 percent have experienced family rejection and more than half (54 percent) experienced abuse in their family. Fortunately, nearly 80 percent of the service providers who work with clients under the age of 18 are doing family acceptance-related work, though only about half of providers working with older youth offer such resources.

The largest barriers to doing more work to reduce LGBT youth homelessness were insufficient state funding, insufficient local funding, and insufficient federal funding.

This data demands that more be done to support these agencies, but important than treating the symptom is treating the problem itself. Family rejection is devastating the lives of young people across the country, and very few organizations outside the Family Acceptance Project are addressing this issue. It’s all too easy to see LGBT homeless youth as an invisible population, but there is a very visible onslaught of anti-gay and anti-trans propaganda specifically targeting parents to raise their fears of the LGBT community. Rather than protecting children, the anti-gay efforts led by conservative evangelical Christians may very well be causing the exact kinds of child abuse that they blame LGBT people for.


STUDY: 40 Percent Of Homeless Youth Are LGBT, Family Rejection Is Leading Cause | ThinkProgress

What would you do?

I would never reject my child or anyone else because they were gay. That is so ignorant that anyone would throw their child out of the home because of a sexual orientation. :roll: You are supposed to love your children unconditionally.
 
I learned a fair amount recently about the number of kids that end up on the street (homeless) because their parents kick them out of the house when they come out; heartbreaking in my opinion. There is little either of my children do (possibly nothing) that would prompt me to abandon them.

As many as 40 percent of homeless youth identify as LGBT, and a new Williams Institute study of youth shelters confirms this estimate. Between October 2011 and March 2012, 354 agencies completed surveys about their clients and found that about 40 percent of their homeless and non-homeless clients were LGBT (9 percent of whom identified as bisexual). About 30 percent of clients using housing-related services (like emergency shelter and transitional living programs) were LGBT.

What was particularly disconcerting about this study was how evident family rejection contributed to this disproportionate number of homeless LGBT youth:

Of all the agencies’ LGBT homeless clients, 68 percent have experienced family rejection and more than half (54 percent) experienced abuse in their family. Fortunately, nearly 80 percent of the service providers who work with clients under the age of 18 are doing family acceptance-related work, though only about half of providers working with older youth offer such resources.

The largest barriers to doing more work to reduce LGBT youth homelessness were insufficient state funding, insufficient local funding, and insufficient federal funding.

This data demands that more be done to support these agencies, but important than treating the symptom is treating the problem itself. Family rejection is devastating the lives of young people across the country, and very few organizations outside the Family Acceptance Project are addressing this issue. It’s all too easy to see LGBT homeless youth as an invisible population, but there is a very visible onslaught of anti-gay and anti-trans propaganda specifically targeting parents to raise their fears of the LGBT community. Rather than protecting children, the anti-gay efforts led by conservative evangelical Christians may very well be causing the exact kinds of child abuse that they blame LGBT people for.


STUDY: 40 Percent Of Homeless Youth Are LGBT, Family Rejection Is Leading Cause | ThinkProgress

What would you do?

If my son or daughter informed me that they were gay, I would profoundly and passionately not care and hope they find happiness. Seriously, there are actual problems in life.

Actually, that's not completely true. If they felt hesitation in telling me, I might question what I did wrong as a parent that they would think such a thing is a big deal.
 
My kids know their Dad and I love them unconditionally. My children are very progressive, and have gay friends and straight friends, and they feel the same way as we do. They know that if they came to me and introduced me to a girl, I'd love them just as much as if they came to me and introduced a guy. I have always, and will continue to, do everything I can to make my kids happy, and make sure that they feel safe and content, and know that no matter what decision they make, as long as it's a safe decision, I'll stand by them.
 
well, i'm well past this stage in parenthood... but if one were to magically change into being gay, they know i'm cool with it.... they know I don't give a ****.
 
well, i'm well past this stage in parenthood... but if one were to magically change into being gay, they know i'm cool with it.... they know I don't give a ****.

Dude, I would hunt down the wizard. If they could do that, I would want them to do something with my car. Just sayin'
 
If my 32 year old son who has been a bit of a playboy since the age of 14 suddenly told me he was gay I would laugh out loud and then tell him I was from Mars.
 
I learned a fair amount recently about the number of kids that end up on the street (homeless) because their parents kick them out of the house when they come out; heartbreaking in my opinion. There is little either of my children do (possibly nothing) that would prompt me to abandon them.

As many as 40 percent of homeless youth identify as LGBT, and a new Williams Institute study of youth shelters confirms this estimate. Between October 2011 and March 2012, 354 agencies completed surveys about their clients and found that about 40 percent of their homeless and non-homeless clients were LGBT (9 percent of whom identified as bisexual). About 30 percent of clients using housing-related services (like emergency shelter and transitional living programs) were LGBT.

What was particularly disconcerting about this study was how evident family rejection contributed to this disproportionate number of homeless LGBT youth:

Of all the agencies’ LGBT homeless clients, 68 percent have experienced family rejection and more than half (54 percent) experienced abuse in their family. Fortunately, nearly 80 percent of the service providers who work with clients under the age of 18 are doing family acceptance-related work, though only about half of providers working with older youth offer such resources.

The largest barriers to doing more work to reduce LGBT youth homelessness were insufficient state funding, insufficient local funding, and insufficient federal funding.

This data demands that more be done to support these agencies, but important than treating the symptom is treating the problem itself. Family rejection is devastating the lives of young people across the country, and very few organizations outside the Family Acceptance Project are addressing this issue. It’s all too easy to see LGBT homeless youth as an invisible population, but there is a very visible onslaught of anti-gay and anti-trans propaganda specifically targeting parents to raise their fears of the LGBT community. Rather than protecting children, the anti-gay efforts led by conservative evangelical Christians may very well be causing the exact kinds of child abuse that they blame LGBT people for.


STUDY: 40 Percent Of Homeless Youth Are LGBT, Family Rejection Is Leading Cause | ThinkProgress

What would you do?

Tell them they're not gay or straight, because there's no such thing. Tell them they're merely human, and as such, are entitled to be attracted to anyone.

The LGBT crowd and its stupid obsession w/labeling does just as much damage to kids' psyche than the anti-homosexual behavior crowd.
 
Tell them they're not gay or straight, because there's no such thing. Tell them they're merely human, and as such, are entitled to be attracted to anyone.

The LGBT crowd and its stupid obsession w/labeling does just as much damage to kids' psyche than the anti-homosexual behavior crowd.

errr... if your kid tell you he/she is gay... and you say " there's no such thing as straight or gay, there is only ...human"... you will confuse the holy **** out of that child, it'll grow up very very weird, and will never get laid.

gay, straight, bi... those cover just about everyone.... it's easy stuff, really.
 
I learned a fair amount recently about the number of kids that end up on the street (homeless) because their parents kick them out of the house when they come out; heartbreaking in my opinion. There is little either of my children do (possibly nothing) that would prompt me to abandon them.

As many as 40 percent of homeless youth identify as LGBT, and a new Williams Institute study of youth shelters confirms this estimate. Between October 2011 and March 2012, 354 agencies completed surveys about their clients and found that about 40 percent of their homeless and non-homeless clients were LGBT (9 percent of whom identified as bisexual). About 30 percent of clients using housing-related services (like emergency shelter and transitional living programs) were LGBT.

What was particularly disconcerting about this study was how evident family rejection contributed to this disproportionate number of homeless LGBT youth:

Of all the agencies’ LGBT homeless clients, 68 percent have experienced family rejection and more than half (54 percent) experienced abuse in their family. Fortunately, nearly 80 percent of the service providers who work with clients under the age of 18 are doing family acceptance-related work, though only about half of providers working with older youth offer such resources.

The largest barriers to doing more work to reduce LGBT youth homelessness were insufficient state funding, insufficient local funding, and insufficient federal funding.

This data demands that more be done to support these agencies, but important than treating the symptom is treating the problem itself. Family rejection is devastating the lives of young people across the country, and very few organizations outside the Family Acceptance Project are addressing this issue. It’s all too easy to see LGBT homeless youth as an invisible population, but there is a very visible onslaught of anti-gay and anti-trans propaganda specifically targeting parents to raise their fears of the LGBT community. Rather than protecting children, the anti-gay efforts led by conservative evangelical Christians may very well be causing the exact kinds of child abuse that they blame LGBT people for.


STUDY: 40 Percent Of Homeless Youth Are LGBT, Family Rejection Is Leading Cause | ThinkProgress

What would you do?

there would be absolutely nothing to do different than im already doing
my daughter would know my love wouldnt change one bit and the same worries and concerns i have for her now would be the same

just like i was taught, ive already told her she is already a women and a minority so i teach her to be aware of these things, people are going to judge her based on those things and they will lead to road blacks and be obstacle sometimes when you even least expect it. BUT never, ever uses that as an excuse, if you use it as an excuse you use it as an excuse to be better, push further, try harder. There are things that will just make you stronger, dont be so sensitive to morons, they dont know they are morons. The world is full of idiots you will encounter, you just have some more on your list to look out for. :)

the end lol

I always greatly admired my parents for this lesson growing up. Growing up and being adults when they did and being a interracial couple they experienced some real high level discrimination and racism. Hell loving vs Virginia happen during thier relationship, civil rights act of 1964 happened to my parents in their adult lives.

its amazing that they could grow up in a world like that and not have a huge chip on their shoulder

my uncle was blind in one eye simple because he walked a different way home from school one day, through the wrong street where they didnt want any niggers walking. Luckily he only lost and eye because some normal people saved him before he could be killed.

My aunt was kid napped and almost molested by a dog catcher when she was 12, that would of been about 1935 or so and my grandfather caught the guy and beat him up good. The police showed up, luckily for my grandfather these were better police but nothing happened, he was just told to take his daughter and "get home now boy" and the dogcatcher got to limp away. Now of course it could have been worse they could of just killed my grandfather which many of the cops whould have but he was "lucky"

thats what my dad grew up with, how do you not have a chip on your shoulder, yet he never did.

My mom lost friends, family members, her dad divorced her mom because of her relationship. she lost a job, they been denied service etc growing up. again, no chip on her shoulder either, although talking about her dad always made her sad and angry but she never took that out on anybody else.

Yep, thanks to better people like my parents this country is catching up, growing into a much better place and soon equal rights for gays will be national and we will have rid ourselves of one more ugly bigoted based discrimination

its disgusting that people like those that my parents faced still exist in this world and that anybody could throw their kids out for being gay, pathetic
 
I learned a fair amount recently about the number of kids that end up on the street (homeless) because their parents kick them out of the house when they come out; heartbreaking in my opinion. There is little either of my children do (possibly nothing) that would prompt me to abandon them.

As many as 40 percent of homeless youth identify as LGBT, and a new Williams Institute study of youth shelters confirms this estimate. Between October 2011 and March 2012, 354 agencies completed surveys about their clients and found that about 40 percent of their homeless and non-homeless clients were LGBT (9 percent of whom identified as bisexual). About 30 percent of clients using housing-related services (like emergency shelter and transitional living programs) were LGBT.

What was particularly disconcerting about this study was how evident family rejection contributed to this disproportionate number of homeless LGBT youth:

Of all the agencies’ LGBT homeless clients, 68 percent have experienced family rejection and more than half (54 percent) experienced abuse in their family. Fortunately, nearly 80 percent of the service providers who work with clients under the age of 18 are doing family acceptance-related work, though only about half of providers working with older youth offer such resources.

The largest barriers to doing more work to reduce LGBT youth homelessness were insufficient state funding, insufficient local funding, and insufficient federal funding.

This data demands that more be done to support these agencies, but important than treating the symptom is treating the problem itself. Family rejection is devastating the lives of young people across the country, and very few organizations outside the Family Acceptance Project are addressing this issue. It’s all too easy to see LGBT homeless youth as an invisible population, but there is a very visible onslaught of anti-gay and anti-trans propaganda specifically targeting parents to raise their fears of the LGBT community. Rather than protecting children, the anti-gay efforts led by conservative evangelical Christians may very well be causing the exact kinds of child abuse that they blame LGBT people for.


STUDY: 40 Percent Of Homeless Youth Are LGBT, Family Rejection Is Leading Cause | ThinkProgress

What would you do?
hire michelle bachman's effeminate husband, marcus, to 'pray the gay away' ... using federal funding to do so, of course [/snark]

i would view their choice of sexual orientation and partner the same way i would view their choice of racial heritage in a partner: whatever makes them happy and healthy. after all, it's not my choice, it is theirs.
can any parent legitimately ask for more for their kids than that their children be happy and healthy?


fortunately, regarding sexual orientation and racial heritage, my (young adult) kids' generation has come a long way
 
I don't have kids, and likely never will, but my niece and nephew are like my own. If one of them told me they were gay, I'd tell them that they're still children, and to grab me a coke from the fridge. Then I'd go to their school to find out wtf they're teaching children in elementary schools.

Overall, if that's the way it is, then that's the way it is. I would definitely have to teach the boy how to fight, though.
 
What would you do if your son/daughter told you they were gay?

Say, as I did, 'I don't think people "are" things - they just do things, but that's okay anyway.' Why should I have been bothered?
 
I learned a fair amount recently about the number of kids that end up on the street (homeless) because their parents kick them out of the house when they come out; heartbreaking in my opinion. There is little either of my children do (possibly nothing) that would prompt me to abandon them.

As many as 40 percent of homeless youth identify as LGBT, and a new Williams Institute study of youth shelters confirms this estimate. Between October 2011 and March 2012, 354 agencies completed surveys about their clients and found that about 40 percent of their homeless and non-homeless clients were LGBT (9 percent of whom identified as bisexual). About 30 percent of clients using housing-related services (like emergency shelter and transitional living programs) were LGBT.

What was particularly disconcerting about this study was how evident family rejection contributed to this disproportionate number of homeless LGBT youth:

Of all the agencies’ LGBT homeless clients, 68 percent have experienced family rejection and more than half (54 percent) experienced abuse in their family. Fortunately, nearly 80 percent of the service providers who work with clients under the age of 18 are doing family acceptance-related work, though only about half of providers working with older youth offer such resources.

The largest barriers to doing more work to reduce LGBT youth homelessness were insufficient state funding, insufficient local funding, and insufficient federal funding.

This data demands that more be done to support these agencies, but important than treating the symptom is treating the problem itself. Family rejection is devastating the lives of young people across the country, and very few organizations outside the Family Acceptance Project are addressing this issue. It’s all too easy to see LGBT homeless youth as an invisible population, but there is a very visible onslaught of anti-gay and anti-trans propaganda specifically targeting parents to raise their fears of the LGBT community. Rather than protecting children, the anti-gay efforts led by conservative evangelical Christians may very well be causing the exact kinds of child abuse that they blame LGBT people for.


STUDY: 40 Percent Of Homeless Youth Are LGBT, Family Rejection Is Leading Cause | ThinkProgress

What would you do?
More examples of religion doing harm.
 
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