Just Breathe: Parenting Your LGBTQ Teen
Heather Hester
Do you have a child, teen, or young adult who identifies as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer? Do you feel alone in your effort to support them on their journey or navigate your own? Heather Hester from Chrysalis Mama is here to transform the conversation around loving and raising an LGBTQ+ teenager. In the four+ years since her son embraced his sexual identity as a young gay man, Heather and her family have felt every emotion, and have experienced dozens of situations ranging from heartwarming and humorous to terrifyingly life-threatening. She and her husband initially felt alone and overwhelmed, moving her to want to support others traveling a similar path. She desires to discuss taboo topics and erase stigmas surrounding the coming out process and parenting an LGBTQ+ teen. Heather's approach is based on four pillars - to Embrace, Educate, Empower, and Love - and most of all, to reinforce to all LGBTQ people, their families, and their allies that they are not alone!