It can be so, so painful when you come out to your parents and they aren’t supportive. Many of us have been there ourselves. There’s no easy way to make it hurt less, but you’re not alone. Here are a few suggestions.
- This video from someone who’s been there offers some tips for responding to unsupportive Christian parents.
- So does this one on avoiding Bible arguments.
- Find an online or offline community where you can get support so you don’t have to go through this alone.
- Check out some of these resources for parents to see if any of them might be a good fit for your parents right now. Books like Embracing the Journey and The BIG Reveal were written by Christian parents for Christian parents and are an especially good start for non-affirming parents who might not be willing to read anything else.
- If your parents are unsupportive but might be ready for something a little beyond that, Torn was written by a gay Christian with non-affirming parents in mind to help them see things from the other side.
- If they’re not big readers, you can consider getting one of the books above in audio format, or check out the film Through My Eyes, which can also be helpful for non-affirming parents. (Note, though, that Through My Eyes only addresses sexual orientation, not gender identity.)
- Above all, remember to give your parents time, but keep working on your own faith in the meantime. God loves you and will never abandon you!
- We will continue to add more resources and recommendations, but if you’re struggling to find what you need, feel free to contact us and we’ll do our best to help.
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