Send
Getting Along with Parents 179
lesbian, and bisexual people, their families, and friends. At this site, you’ll find
support for coming out to friends and family. To find the PFLAG chapter near-
est you, go to: community.pflag.org/Page.aspx?pid=803.
Trevor Helpline
1-800-850-8078
This hotline provides twenty-four hour telephone counseling for gay youth or
anyone who is seeking help or someone to talk to. Online, go to:
http://www.thetrevorproject.org.
My parents don’t know what
they’re talking about
Hey Terra,
My parents constantly make assumptions about what’s going on between me and my
boyfriend. They say stuff like, “So are you and your boyfriend pretty serious? You’re not going
steady are you?” It’s so embarrassing, and nobody even talks that way anymore! When they
ask me these questions, it feels like a total invasion of my privacy. I hate it when they do that,
especially since they don’t know what they’re talking about.
Misunderstood
Dear Misunderstood,
Why is communication so difficult between you and your parents? Perhaps you aren’t talking
to them about what’s going on in your life. Because they can’t read your mind, they have to
observe you to get any information. It sounds as if they think you and your boyfriend are
serious. If they’re wrong about this, explain what’s really going on. You might start a conver-
sation with them by saying, “It really bothers me when you act like you know what’s going
on between my boyfriend and me. I realize that I haven’t been telling you much; this is partly
because I feel like you don’t respect my privacy. Could we talk about that?”