Often times, people use the phrase “the closet” to refer to the isolation, suppression, and secrecy of experiencing same-gender attraction without feeling able to speak honestly about this experience.
Yet parents of gay kids — after their child comes “out of the closet” — often find themselves in a closet of their own.
Parents of LGBT+ children often report feeling isolated, judged, ridiculed, or abandoned because of the fact that their child is LGBT+. Their feelings actually mirror many of the experiences of a “closeted” LGBT+ person.
In this podcast, Rev. Jonathan G. Smith interviews Lead Them Home Founder & President Bill Henson on parents’ “closet experience.” Importantly, he gives practical insights for fellow believers on how to support parents of LGBT+ kids.
Listen to the full podcast here.
More Resources for Parents
In the past 13 years, Bill Henson has served over 4,000 LGBT+ individuals and their families. He also hosts a bi-annual Family Care Seminar in New England that offers confidential support and fellowship for parents of gay and/or transgender children of any age. If you are a pastor, contact us about hosting a confidential Family Care at your church.
Are you the parent of an LGBT+ child — or perhaps wanting to be a friend to parents in your life? Find support, insight, prayer guidance, and more in our book, Guiding Families of LGBT+ Loved Ones.
Meg Baatz
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