Talking to Your Friends and Family

Below are some general resources that will help you in talking to your friends and family about LGBTQ related topics as well as resources that will allow your friends and family to become involved and educated on topics related to LGBTQ and GSA youth. For more specific resources aimed at religious issues with friends or family click over to our Faith & Spirituality page

Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays
PFLAG provides an opportunity for dialogue about sexual orientation and gender identity, and acts to create a society that is healthy and respectful of human diversity. PFLAG promotes the health and well-being of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons, their families and friends through: support, to cope with an adverse society; education, to enlighten an ill-informed public; and advocacy, to end discrimination and to secure equal civil rights.

Our Daughters and Sons: Questions and Answers for Parents of Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual People.
Coming out to your parents? Need a way to answer their questions and concerns?  Our Daughters and Sons is a “must read” for parents who are forming new and honest relationships with a loved one who has come out to them. This booklet answers several commonly-asked questions about having a gay child.

Be Yourself: Questions and Answers for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Youth.
Today’s youth face more social pressures than ever, especially since young people are coming out at increasingly younger ages. This publication offers a supportive approach to common questions asked by teens who may be questioning their sexual orientation.

Faith in Our Families: Parents, Families and Friends Talk About Religion and Homosexuality.
Discovering that a loved one is gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender can pose new questions about your faith and may prompt you to re-evaluate beliefs that you previously took for granted. By using personal experiences, this publication provides examples for reconciling your faith with the knowledge that a loved one is gay.

Our Trans Children, Fifth Edition
This is the newest version of the PFLAG Transgender Network (TNET) cornerstone publication. The book is an introduction to trans issues especially for parents of children of all ages. Contents include commonly asked questions, commonalities and differences between sexual orientation and gender identity, issues of transgender youth, and transgender and the law. This is an excellent educational tool for families, friends, employers, and the larger community.

Se Tu Mismo
This is the Spanish translation of PFLAG’s publication, Be Yourself. The book is a great resource for Spanish-speaking youth and families.

Nuestras hijas y nuestros hijos: Preguntas y respuestas para padres de gays, lesbianas y bisexuales.
A culturally appropriate Spanish translation of “Our Daughters and Sons,” this booklet is a valuable resource for Spanish-speaking families coming to terms with homosexuality and bisexuality. The booklet answers commonly asked questions about having a GLBT loved one, and includes Spanish language resources.