The process of coming out of the closet is one of the ultimate challenges that seem to be rather daunting as compared to the acceptance for bisexual/ homosexual/ gender fluid people. Reading of books becomes the primary source and the initial step in the whole journey as it not only includes the many stories of those who choose the way out of the closet and live embrace their truth, but also because it helps the LQBTQ (or, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) youth to know that its nothing to be cautious about. Being queer is as “normal” as any male or female on planet earth!
We at Parenthoodbliss understand that despite the awareness, it’s a little difficult to make the kids understand that it’s ok to have mommies or daddies love one another as a traditional mom could love a dad (or vice-versa), and, on the other hand, for the parents to know and accept their LGBTQ kids.
So, we’ve prepared a list of the top 8 best books for parents of LGBTQ youth that will help those who are navigating a new life of being out and proud, and their significant others, friends, families, and allies.
Top 8 Best Books For Parents Of Gay Kids in 2022!
Here are the top 8 best chronicle books that can help the parents communicate with their Gay child with more understanding of the LGBTQ community:
1) Coming Out, Coming Home: Helping Families Adjust to a Gay or Lesbian Child - Michael LaSala
This queer book is a qualitative, multicultural study of sixty-five gay and lesbian children and their parents, Michael LaSala. A leading expert on coming out, Michael outlines the effective, practice-tested interventions for families in transition.
The research done into the book reveals surprising outcomes, for instance, a child who is homosexual can improve familial relationships such as that of the father-child, even if the parent reacts in a negative and strong manner to the revelation.
2) For Colored Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Not Enough - Keith Boykin
This queer book is strong in its effectiveness as it addresses the longstanding concerns of sexual abuse, suicide, HIV/AIDS, racism, and homophobia in the Latino and African American communities among young gay men of color. It recites the stories of real people coming of age, coming out, and also dealing with spirituality and religion of the society while seeking love and relationships, finding their own identity (either in or out of the LGBTQ community), and creating a sense of political empowerment.
The book by Keith Boykin is written to educate and inspire those seeking to overcome the many obstacles in their own lives and stand true to their understanding of love and living.
3) The Gender Creative Child by Diane Ehrensaft
The Gender Creative by Diane Ehrensaft is an up-to-date, comprehensive resource, explaining the interconnected effects of biology, nurture, and culture in order to answer – “why gender can be fluid” and not binary.
In the journey, as an advocate for the gender affirmative model and experience, she has gained over three decades of pioneering work with children and families, encourages caregivers to learn to listen to every child, their needs, and supports their quest for their gender identity.
4) Love, Ellen: A Mother/Daughter Journey - Betty DeGeneres
As we all are aware of what a watershed moment it was for America and the LGBTQ community when Ellen DeGeneres came out. As per the records, she first came out to Oprah Winfrey, and then her television show in 1997, what most don’t know is that she came out to her mother – Betty, years before, that is in 1990.
Similar to the initial rocky public coming, coming out to her conservative mother was also complicated. Nevertheless, they worked through it with learning, communicating, with a small amount of grace and humor. This is the story that Betty DeGeneres writes in Love, Ellen with a touch of gentle directness and humor, showing that the apple didn’t really fall far from the tree.
5) Queer Brown Voices: Personal Narratives of Latino/a Activism edited by Uriel Quesada, Letitia Gomez, and Salvador Vidal-Ortiz
This queer book documents the efforts of LGBT Latina/o activists with comprising essays and oral history interviews, observing the experiences of fourteen activists in the United States and in Puerto Rico. It offers a new perspective on the history of LGBT mobilization and activism.
Here, the activists discuss subjects by shedding light on the organizations that they helped to create and operate, and their broad-ranging experiences of being racialized and discriminated against when trying to access health care during the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and struggling for awareness.
6) Straight Parents, Gay Children: Keeping Families Together - Robert Bernstein
Written in 1996 and updated in 2003, this is a story of Bernstein and his account of coming to terms with his daughter’s homosexuality, and how it helped enriched his life. This queer book can act as a guide for straight parents to help their LGBT children in the process of coming out and preparing for reactions to their sexuality.
The book earned plaudits from Betty DeGeneres, Charles Harmon, Washington Blade, and the generation of parents and families.
7) This is a Book for Parents of Gay Kids: A Question and Answer Guide to Everyday Life - Danielle Owens-Reid and Kristin Russo
This book for parents of gay kids by Dannielle Owens Reid and Kristin Russo is written in an accessible Q&A format that will help answer parents many questions and acts as a go-to resource for parents hoping to understand and communicate with their gay child. Through their LGBTQ-oriented site, the authors of the book have uniquely experienced to answer parents’ many questions and share their insight and guidance on emotional and practical topics.
Filled with real-life experiences from gay kids and parents, the authors are uniquely experienced with their progressive answers that make it the best book gay kids want their parents to read.
8) Transgender Children and Youth: Cultivating Pride and Joy with Families in Transition - Elijah Neely
A therapist and former deputy executive director of New York City’s LGBT Community Center, Elijah C. Nealy, a trans man himself, has written this first-ever comprehensive guide for understanding, supporting, and welcoming trans kids.
The book is written in a manner that helps cover everything – the family life, school, mental health issues, and physical, social, and emotional aspects of transition, making it a guide to share insight and guidance with the best practices to support trans kids of the community.
Special Mentions- Books For Parents Of LGBTQ Youth
9) When I Knew - Robert Trachtenberg
An acclaimed photographer and documentarian, Robert Trachtenberg is in documentarian mode with this book with stories he chooses to elicit from his subjects and contributors. It includes multiple stories of people who opened up about when they or their families and friends first “knew.”
This is not your question answer guide or your “how-to” but is a simple compilation that is generous and open-hearted “remember when.”
10) Funny Boy - Shyam Selvadurai
This book revolves around the title “Funny Boy” who is the protagonist and is considered to not being “normal” but is rather described as “funny” instead, or “queer.” It is a non-fictional book that can be read as a story of a young boy and his coming of age at an immensely disadvantaged position in the South Asian queer community in 1983.
This book is known to be loved by many readers and helps to identify the cruelty of society, although in the past, unfortunately, happens to stand true even now in 2022! Reading the story of the “funny” child can help you rework and understand the psychology of a little queer child.
To Conclude: Lesbian Gay bisexual Reading Books For the Community
We hope that the list of books for parents of LGBTQ youth helps you perceive the community and your child with an open eye and also enables you to communicate with the best knowledge possible and be a guide to everyday life.
Remember, Love is Love! Here’s to the celebration of the queer month and the hope of building ONE community to stand in unity!
