LGBTQ

If you suspect your child is Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Questioning (LGBTQ), you may feel concerned about their safety and wonder why they have not confided in you. If you believe your child may be LGBTQ or questioning their sexuality or gender, the most important thing you can do is make it clear to them that you love them unconditionally. Your child will feel more comfortable talking to you about their sexuality and gender if they are confident that you will love them no matter what. Family acceptance is the most influential factor contributing to well-being LGBTQ young people. By accepting their identity, you can make a huge positive impact on the life of your child.

Working with LGBTQ Children and Families

Websites

My Kid is Gay: A web resource with videos and articles to help parents understand their children.

How to Be a Girl: A great resource for parents of transgender youth. A mother of a transgender daughter chronicles her experiences through her podcast and blog.

Programs

Find a PFLAG Chapter near you: PFLAG has chapters across the United States for parents and friends of LGBTQ people to find community and support.

LGBTQ+ Health Care Centers: The Western Montana LGBTQ Center has compiled a list of safe health care centers.

LGBTQ Supportive Businesses: The Pride Foundation's Initiative Open to All allows for businesses to pledge to be LGBTQ inclusive and fair. On their website, there is a list of supportive businesses by Montana city.

 

Articles

Talking to Doctors and Medical Professionals: Talking to doctors, dentists, and other medical personnel that your child or client will interact with about their identity and pronouns is an important way to support your client or child.

What's the Difference Between Sexual Orientation and Gender? Stanford Medicine answers this common question in this short, informative video. 

Gender Diverse and Transgender Children: This article includes information about the definitions of gender divers and transgender, as well as how to support your child if they are exploring gender identity.

Tip Sheets

What does LGBTQ+ stand for and what do all these words mean? This cheat sheet provides an overview of the terminology and common slang terms that youth are using to identify themselves. 

Families Supporting an LGBTQ Child: This cheat sheet by Lambda Legal goes over the basics on supporting an LGBTQ family member

Supporting Your LGBTQ Youth: A Guide for Foster Parents: Learn how to make your home a welcoming environment for LGBTQ foster youth

12 Tips for Supporting LGBTQ or Questioning Child: A tip sheet from the Center for Children, Families, and Workforce Development

Books

The best LGBT books for children, teens, and YA's: The Guardian's list of best LGBT books from authors and site members.

Advice on how to respond if your child just came out.

What does Two-Spirit Mean? Watch this video to find out. 

Electronic Resources

Websites

My Kid is Gay: A web resource with videos and articles to help parents understand their children.

How to Be a Girl: A great resource for parents of transgender youth. A mother of a transgender daughter chronicles her experiences through her podcast and blog.

Programs

Find a PFLAG Chapter near you: PFLAG has chapters across the United States for parents and friends of LGBTQ people to find community and support.

LGBTQ+ Health Care Centers: The Western Montana LGBTQ Center has compiled a list of safe health care centers.

LGBTQ Supportive Businesses: The Pride Foundation's Initiative Open to All allows for businesses to pledge to be LGBTQ inclusive and fair. On their website, there is a list of supportive businesses by Montana city.

 

Articles

Talking to Doctors and Medical Professionals: Talking to doctors, dentists, and other medical personnel that your child or client will interact with about their identity and pronouns is an important way to support your client or child.

What's the Difference Between Sexual Orientation and Gender? Stanford Medicine answers this common question in this short, informative video. 

Gender Diverse and Transgender Children: This article includes information about the definitions of gender divers and transgender, as well as how to support your child if they are exploring gender identity.

Tip Sheets

What does LGBTQ+ stand for and what do all these words mean? This cheat sheet provides an overview of the terminology and common slang terms that youth are using to identify themselves. 

Families Supporting an LGBTQ Child: This cheat sheet by Lambda Legal goes over the basics on supporting an LGBTQ family member

Supporting Your LGBTQ Youth: A Guide for Foster Parents: Learn how to make your home a welcoming environment for LGBTQ foster youth

12 Tips for Supporting LGBTQ or Questioning Child: A tip sheet from the Center for Children, Families, and Workforce Development

Books

The best LGBT books for children, teens, and YA's: The Guardian's list of best LGBT books from authors and site members.

Advice on how to respond if your child just came out.

What does Two-Spirit Mean? Watch this video to find out. 

How to Support the Child

Websites

Gender Spectrum: A site for helping educators and administrators can make their school gender inclusive.

GLSEN: A website with information and resources for educators on how to create a safe and inclusive atmosphere for LGBTQ students in a classroom and school.

Resources for Social Workers: The National Association of Social Work website has toolkits and articles about how to effectively work with LGBTQ clients.

Programs

Pride Camp for LGBTQ Individuals and Families: A yearly spiritually-based camp for LGBTQ individuals, couples, and families to build community and connect with a God of their own understanding

Gender Odyssey Conference: This conference, held annually in Seattle and Los Angeles, focuses on helping families, professionals, and supporters in addressing the needs of transgender gender non-conforming youth.

Montana Directory: A list of support groups as well as LGBTQ-accepting churches, organizations, and health care clinics

LGBTQ Supportive Business: The Pride Foundation's Initiative Open to All allows for business to pledge to be LGBTQ inclusive and fair. Their website provides a list of supportive businesses in Montana.

Western Montana LGBTQ Community Center: This community center hosts support groups and events for Western Montana's LGBTQ community.

Articles

 Talking to Doctors and Medical Professionals: Talking to doctors, dentists, and other medical personnel your client will interact with about their identity and pronouns is an important way to support your client.

Tip sheets

Working with Transgender Youth: Tips for social workers and other professionals working with transgender youth in care.

Working with Homeless LGBTQ Youth: LGBTQ youth become homeless far too frequently due to family rejection and lack of social supports. Learn how to support the homeless LGBTQ youth you work with.

Congregate Care Providers Working with LGBTQ Youth: This toolkit by Lambda Legal covers several important points for ensuring the safety and wellness of LGBTQ youth in congregate care settings.

Attorney's, Guardian ad item, and Advocates Representing LGBTQ Youth: Learn how to effectively advocate for your LGBTQ clients. 

Keeping LGBTQ Youth Safe in Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Placements: LGBTQ youth in juvenile justice and delinquency placements experience high rates of harassment and assault. As a caseworker or advocate, it is your responsibility to ensure the safety of these young people. Lambda Legal's guide details how to ensure these youth are protected from harm.

Basic LGBTQ Supportive Policies, Training, and Services for Child Welfare Agencies to Adopt: Eight actions your agency can take to improve the services provided.

Guides

A Guide for Understanding, Supporting, and Affirming LGYQ12-S Children, Youth, and Families

Promising Practices for Serving Transgender and Non-binary Foster and Adoptive Parents: This Human Right's Campaign guide discusses best-practice for serving and advocating on behalf of  transgender and gender non-binary parents as well as how to make agency programs and events inclusive of trans and gender non-binary clients.

Books

The best LGBT books for children, teens, and YA's: The Guardian's list of best LGBT books from authors and site members.

Ash, a transgender Montanan, offers advice on how to respectfully ask for someone’s gender pronouns.

Ash's advice on supporting LGBTQ youth in foster care

.

 

Electronic Resources

Websites

Gender Spectrum: A site for helping educators and administrators can make their school gender inclusive.

GLSEN: A website with information and resources for educators on how to create a safe and inclusive atmosphere for LGBTQ students in a classroom and school.

Resources for Social Workers: The National Association of Social Work website has toolkits and articles about how to effectively work with LGBTQ clients.

Programs

Pride Camp for LGBTQ Individuals and Families: A yearly spiritually-based camp for LGBTQ individuals, couples, and families to build community and connect with a God of their own understanding

Gender Odyssey Conference: This conference, held annually in Seattle and Los Angeles, focuses on helping families, professionals, and supporters in addressing the needs of transgender gender non-conforming youth.

Montana Directory: A list of support groups as well as LGBTQ-accepting churches, organizations, and health care clinics

LGBTQ Supportive Business: The Pride Foundation's Initiative Open to All allows for business to pledge to be LGBTQ inclusive and fair. Their website provides a list of supportive businesses in Montana.

Western Montana LGBTQ Community Center: This community center hosts support groups and events for Western Montana's LGBTQ community.

Articles

 Talking to Doctors and Medical Professionals: Talking to doctors, dentists, and other medical personnel your client will interact with about their identity and pronouns is an important way to support your client.

Tip sheets

Working with Transgender Youth: Tips for social workers and other professionals working with transgender youth in care.

Working with Homeless LGBTQ Youth: LGBTQ youth become homeless far too frequently due to family rejection and lack of social supports. Learn how to support the homeless LGBTQ youth you work with.

Congregate Care Providers Working with LGBTQ Youth: This toolkit by Lambda Legal covers several important points for ensuring the safety and wellness of LGBTQ youth in congregate care settings.

Attorney's, Guardian ad item, and Advocates Representing LGBTQ Youth: Learn how to effectively advocate for your LGBTQ clients. 

Keeping LGBTQ Youth Safe in Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Placements: LGBTQ youth in juvenile justice and delinquency placements experience high rates of harassment and assault. As a caseworker or advocate, it is your responsibility to ensure the safety of these young people. Lambda Legal's guide details how to ensure these youth are protected from harm.

Basic LGBTQ Supportive Policies, Training, and Services for Child Welfare Agencies to Adopt: Eight actions your agency can take to improve the services provided.

Guides

A Guide for Understanding, Supporting, and Affirming LGYQ12-S Children, Youth, and Families

Promising Practices for Serving Transgender and Non-binary Foster and Adoptive Parents: This Human Right's Campaign guide discusses best-practice for serving and advocating on behalf of  transgender and gender non-binary parents as well as how to make agency programs and events inclusive of trans and gender non-binary clients.

Books

The best LGBT books for children, teens, and YA's: The Guardian's list of best LGBT books from authors and site members.

Ash, a transgender Montanan, offers advice on how to respectfully ask for someone’s gender pronouns.

Ash's advice on supporting LGBTQ youth in foster care

.