| Foreword
Linda Stone Fish, M.S.W., Ph. D. | p. 8 |
| Introduction | p. 10 |
| Kristin's Coming-Out Story | p. 15 |
| Dannielle's Coming-Out Story | p. 17 |
| A Note on Our Use of the Word Gay | p. 19 |
Chapter 1 | Coming Out | p. 22 |
| My child just came out to me, and now I don't know how to talk to them. Help! | p. 23 |
| I accidentally found out that my child is gay. What do I do? | p. 26 |
| I think my child is gay, but they haven't come out to me yet. Should I ask them? | p. 32 |
| My child wants to come out at school, but I am concerned for their safety. | p. 35 |
| I think my very young child might be gay. What should I do? | p. 40 |
Chapter 2 | First Reactions | p. 46 |
| Is this a choice? | p. 47 |
| Is this my fault? | p. 50 |
| I think this is just a phase | p. 51 |
| Am I allowed to ask questions? | p. 55 |
| Will my other kids be gay? | p. 61 |
Chapter 3 | Telling Others | p. 65 |
| When should I tell people? | p. 67 |
| Whom should I tell? Their siblings? Their grandparents? Our mailman? | p. 73 |
| My child doesn't want to come out to my spouse. What do I do? | p. 82 |
| What will people think? | p. 85 |
Chapter 4 | Thinking About the Future | p. 90 |
| I never pictured my child's life to be like this | p. 91 |
| Will my child be interested in different things now? | p. 95 |
| My child is bisexual. Does this mean they can later choose to be straight? | p. 98 |
| Will my child always be viewed differently? I worry that they will face discrimination | p. 104 |
| I'm worried that my child won't ever have a family | p. 111 |
Chapter 5 | The Birds and the Bees | p. 115 |
| Does being gay mean my child is going to be promiscuous? | p. 116 |
| How do I talk to my child about safe sex? | p. 118 |
| Should I be concerned about sexually transmitted infections like AIDS? | p. 121 |
| How do I know if someone is a friend or more than a friend? | p. 132 |
| How do I handle sleepovers? | p. 134 |
Chapter 6 | Religious Beliefs | p. 132 |
| I'm afraid my child is going to hell | p. 139 |
| This goes against my beliefs, but I want to support my child | p. 142 |
| I want my child to be happy, but I feel that marriage should be reserved for a man and a woman | p. 147 |
| How do I talk to my religious family and friends to help them understand? | p. 149 |
| Will my child ever have a relationship with their faith? | p. 152 |
Chapter 7 | Questioning Gender | p. 159 |
| How is gender identity different from sexual orientation? | p. 161 |
| My child is questioning their gender. What does this mean? | p. 163 |
| My child is dressing differently. Does this mean they are transgender? | p. 169 |
| How do I deal with my child wanting me to call them by a different name and use different pronouns? | p. 172 |
| My child wants to use the public restroom designated for a gender different from the one they were assigned at birth. Should I let them? | p. 174 |
| My child wants to transition to a different gender. How do I handle that? | p. 176 |
Chapter 8 | Being Supportive | p. 187 |
| My child is being bullied at school What do I do? | p. 188 |
| Are LGBTQ children at higher risk for depression and suicide? What should I do if my child's behavior is concerning me? | p. 192 |
| Should I become more politically active now? | p. 198 |
| My political party doesn't support same-sex marriage. | |
| How can I reconcile that? | p. 200 |
| Should I join support groups? | p. 204 |
| How can I show my pride without embarrassing my child? | p. 208 |
| Moving Forward | p. 213 |
| Glossary | p. 255 |
| Resources | p. 222 |
| Index | p. 237 |
| Acknowledgments | p. 239 |