“Mom, I have something to tell you…I’m gay”.
“Dad…I think I am in the wrong body, I think that I am really a boy”.
One of the most difficult and life changing statements a parent can hear is that of their child coming out to them. When your daughter tells you she’s a lesbian or your three year old son insists that God made a mistake and he is really a girl, what do you do? Like a bomb being dropped, this revelation has the potential to tear families apart. Parents often feel scared, angry, confused, anxious, hopeless, and very alone. Their hopes and dreams for their children are shaken and replaced with fears of discrimination, AIDS, and stigma. What do you do? To whom do you turn? For parents of the Christian faith, the questions may be even more complicated. What does the Bible say? How will my church react? Will my child go to hell? What does this mean for my faith? How do I protect my child? How do I respond in unconditional love?
If you are the parent of a lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning child and you are looking for help, you have come to the right place! We would love to talk with you and come alongside you on this journey. We would love to hear your story, questions, concerns, etc. and try to provide you with resources that fit your family and faith. Please contact our Director of Family and Youth, Laura, at laura@themarinfoundation.org or call 773-572-5983.
Parent Resource Initiative
When The Marin Foundation began to put together this page of Resources for Parents, we realized something. Existing resources for Christian parents of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) and questioning children can be difficult to find and often mirror current culture wars, providing no way for parents to keep their faith AND love their child. Yet every year, The Marin Foundation receives numerous requests for guidance and advice from the parents and families of LGBT and questioning children. Therefore, the Marin Foundation is conducting a research study called the Parent Resource Initiative to identify the needs of Christian parents of LGBT and questioning children and develop new resources to help them in this journey.
WE NEED YOUR HELP!!!
Before we can develop new resources, we need to hear and understand your story. If you are a Christian parent of a LGBT and questioning child, a family therapist, or a parent support group leader, we need your help. Our goal is to interview and survey 200 or more Christian parents of LGBT and questioning children as well as others involved in supporting families. We want to hear your story!
We are looking for a representative sample of parents from all over the United States, of all ages, ethnicities and ranges of Christian beliefs. Whether your child came out to you two days ago or twenty years ago, we would love to hear about your experience.
Participants will be interviewed and asked to fill out an online survey. The interviews generally take one to two hours and can be done in person (within Chicago area), over the phone, or through Skype at your convenience. The survey is online and takes about thirty minutes to complete. All information is kept confidential.
We would like to provide a safe space for you to share your story without fear of condemnation or judgment. Regardless of your religious, cultural, political, or other views on this subject, we want to know what this experience has been like for you.
To Participate:
Please contact Laura Statesir at the Marin Foundation for more information. You can email her at Laura@themarinfoundation.org or call 773-572-5983.
