Content area
Full Text
LGBTQ youth who are coming out today to family members and peers are experiencing more acceptance and affirmation than ever before. Family acceptance is one of the strongest predictors of the health, mental health, and well-being outcomes of LGBTQ youth. LGBTQ youth with accepting families are more than 8 times less likely to attempt suicide and nearly 6 times less likely to meet criteria for depression. This article explores the overwhelming impact that family acceptance can have on the experiences of LGBTQ youth. In addition, this article provides recommendations for Christian social workers to utilize in their attempts to work with families to create greater acceptance of their LGBTQ children.
Key Words: LGBTQ youth, family acceptance, faith
LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENDER, AND QUESTIONING (LGBTQ) a youth today are experiencing acceptance and affirmation at a much higher rate than previous generations (Human Rights Campaign, 2012). The fact that LGBTQ youth are coming out or disclosing their LGBTQ identity to friends and family at a younger age suggests that societal acceptance is increasing. The mean age at which an LGBTQ youth comes out to friends or family members is around 16 years old, down about five years from research done a decade earlier (Shilo & Savaya, 2011). According to a recent climate study, over half (56%) of LGBTQ teens are out to their immediate family, and even more (61%) are out at school. LGBTQ youth who are out to their immediate family are significantly more likely to report being happy (41%) than those who are not (33%). Far more LGBTQ youth have access to resources, such as Gay-Straight Alliances, than ever before and nearly half of LGBTQ youth participate in online communities aimed at providing support (Human Rights Campaign, 2012).
While LGBTQ youth are disclosing their identity earlier and more often than at any other point in history, the experiences of many LGBTQ youth around family acceptance are far from positive. When asked to describe the most important problem in their lives, LGBTQ teens (26%) identified family rejection more than any other stressor, including school bullying (Human Rights Campaign, 2012). According to this same report, LGBTQ youth who are not out to their family report that the lack of acceptance was the most overwhelming obstacle in...