HOW CAN I TALK TO MY KIDS ABOUT DATING, MARRIAGE, ETC WHEN SOME ARE LGBTQ & SOME ARE STRAIGHT?

This is the reality for any family with gay and straight kids. The fact is, the law of chastity is different for our gay and lesbian children, they are asked to live the law of celibacy, with no help or support. A search of the church website brings up celibacy under both the Topical Guide and the Guide to the Scriptures, but each only says, “see marriage, marry”…

screenshots from the www.churchofjesuschrist.org “topical guide” and “guide to the scriptures” after searching for the term “celibacy”

Parents of LGBTQ children are so often on their own to navigate with no map and often no support.

To church members who don’t face these challenging dilemmas, we only ask for support and love- and that you might add your prayers to ours, as we pray for more light and knowledge to shine on our LGBTQ Latter-Day Saint families - Allison

This blog post was originally a @liftandloveorg social media post on Instagram April 20th, 2022. Many experienced LGBTQ parents and LGBTQ individuals posted their thoughts, experiences, and suggestions as comments to that post, so you may want to check out that post on Instagram for more information.

LGBTQ youth are reaching coming out milestones at younger ages than in previous years

According to the Trevor Project @trevorproject report on “Age of Sexual Orientation Outness and Suicide Risk” October 10, 2022: “LGBTQ youth are not inherently prone to poor mental health and suicide risk because of their LGBTQ identity but rather placed at higher risk because of the stigma and mistreatment they face on the basis of their identity (Meyer, 2003)…LGBTQ youth are reaching coming out milestones at younger ages than in previous years (Meyer et al., 2021)...These findings further convey that coming out in and of itself is not harmful to youth, at any age. Rather, it is the harmful environments in which LGBTQ youth find themselves that contribute to the negative outcomes we see. Overall, this suggests that instead of insisting that younger LGBTQ youth not come out for fear of exposure to bullying and harassment, the people in their lives should create environments in which they can do so safely. This is particularly true given that choosing to delay coming out, for a variety of valid reasons, was also associated with increased suicide risk. The constant is that LGBTQ youth who have support from others report better outcomes, suggesting that parents and family members, teachers, school administrators, and other direct service providers must ensure that the spaces LGBTQ youth find themselves in are affirming and supportive of their identities. For example, they can help advocate for and implement LGBTQ-inclusive school policies, from zero tolerance for anti-LGBTQ bullying and harassment and bystander intervention training to non-discrimination protections and suicide prevention policies and classroom curricula that reflect the experiences of LGBTQ students”

Learn more at www.thetrevorproject.com

#Lgbtq #lgbt #latterdaysaints #latterdaysaint #lds #ldschurch #ldsparents #ldsparenting #ldsysa #lgbtqysa #lgbtqlds #ldslgbtq #liftandloveorg #nationalcomingoutday #NationalComingOutDay #ComingOutDay #HappyComingOutDay #HappyNationalComingOutDay

LGBTQ FOSTER KIDS

42% of LGBTQ youth in foster care say they aren’t able to be themselves in their foster home. LGBTQ-friendly foster parents are desperately needed in every state.

If you’re interested in becoming a foster parent and you live in Utah, visit https://utahfostercare.org for more information.

For LGBTQ resources for foster parents in Utah (including Latter-Day Saint specific resources like Lift+Love) visit https://utahfostercare.org/lgbtq/ @utahfostercare

In all other US states, contact your local foster care office to learn more about becoming a foster parent. Local contact information available here: https://www.childwelfare.gov/organizations/?CWIGFunctionsaction=rols:main.dspList&rolType=Custom&RS_ID=17

60% of LGBTQ youth lack access to mental health care

*LGBTQ youth are at higher risk for depression & anxiety (largely because of the added stresses of bullying and lack of family/community acceptance), yet they are one of the groups with the least access to mental health care. They might not know where to get help, may not be able to afford it, may be worried about confidentiality, or may be afraid of being discriminated against. You can help by sharing these resources (GRAPHIC BELOW)!
Source: the Trevor project 2021 youth mental health survey

#Lgbtq #lgbt #latterdaysaints #latterdaysaint #lds #ldschurch #ldsparents #ldsparenting #ldsysa #lgbtqysa #lgbtqlds #ldslgbtq #liftandloveorg

45% of LGBTQ teens have considered suicide in the past year - What can we DO?

45% of LGBTQ teens have considered suicide in the past year. We have to do something - we need every one of those wonderful kids and their unique talents & perspectives in our families, our neighborhoods, our schools, our churches, and our workplaces. But what can we DO?

FIRST STEP: Head over to the Lift+Love website and find the "QPR Suicide Prevention" section (pink circle on the home page). Sign up for a FREE online class to learn practical skills for preventing suicide. The class takes only 1 1/2 hours, but it has the potential to save lives- literally. The classes are held multiple times every month, so you can find one that works with your schedule.

TELL YOUR FRIENDS! Everyone 18+ is welcome.

Source: The Trevor Project LGBTQ Youth Mental Health Survey 2022

#Lgbtq #lgbt #latterdaysaints #latterdaysaint #lds #ldschurch #ldsparents #ldsparenting #ldsysa #lgbtqysa #lgbtqlds #ldslgbtq #liftandloveorg #qpr #qprsuicideprevention #qprsuicidepreventiontraining #suicideprevention #lgbtqsuicideprevention #lgbtqsuicideawareness.

HOW DO YOU HELP YOUR KIDS FRIENDS FEEL WELCOME IN YOUR HOME?

We asked Lift+Love followers, “How do you help your kids’ friends feel welcome in your home?”

Thank you to everyone who responded! We love learning from you! Here are some of your most popular answers (in the graphic above) and also a few of our personal favorite unique responses (below):

“I have a bulletin board with all their pictures! Then they feel like part of our family!”

“I have a chocolate chip drawer. All friends known where it is and they can have any time they want”

“hug all of them when they get there and when they leave”

#Lgbtq #lgbt #latterdaysaints #latterdaysaint #lds #ldschurch #ldsparents #ldsparenting #ldsysa #lgbtqysa #lgbtqlds #ldslgbtq #liftandloveorg