The Teen Survival Guide to Dating & Relating: Real-World Advice on Guys, Girls, Growing Up, and Getting Along

Where

to

turn

178 The Teen Survival Guide to Dating and Relating

Dear Sketch,

No one should have to live a lie. You want your parents to know the truth, and that makes

sense. Being gay is part of who you are, and your parents need to know that. I understand

how scary it is for you to think about telling them. You love them, and you’re afraid they might

reject you. But telling them is the right thing to do, and you need to take the risk and trust

that the love they’ve always had for you isn’t going to disappear.

I can’t predict how they’ll receive your news, but I suggest that you ask some people you

trust for ideas about how to begin this very important conversation. Maybe your gay friends

can give you some tips for how to bring this subject up at home, or maybe their parents can

tell you what it was like to find out their kid is gay. Your school counselor might also have

advice and can point the way toward other resources.

If you’re online, you can check out PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians &

Gays), an organization that has chapters in many places around the United States and other

countries. Go to: http://www.pflag.org. This site can help you find the words to tell your parents that

you’re gay and can also prepare you for possible reactions. With support, you can come out

to your parents. It’s very likely that your parents will come to accept this part of you, but if

they need support, too, show them the PFLAG site. I wish you well.

In friendship,

Terra

Be Yourself: Questions and Answers for Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Youth

http://www.pflag.org/fileadmin/user_upload/Be_Yourself_TT.pdf

This site, published by PFLAG (Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians &

Gays) and designed for teens, provides answers to frequently asked questions

about homosexuality, stereotypes, health, and coming out.

Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians & Gays (PFLAG)

http://www.pflag.org

PFLAG, founded in 1981, has more than 340 chapters nationwide and in 11

other countries. This organization promotes the health and well-being of gay,