Family & Youth

Many organizations exist to support LGBTQ+ youth and their families: here are just a handful for when you’re looking for a place to start.

The Strong Family Alliance seeks to preserve the relationships of LGBTQIA+ people and their families within the context of faith. On their website you will find their parent guide, connections to advocacy and stories from real families called Hopeful Voices, and even a page for people getting ready to come out to their parents.

Beloved Arise is an ecumenical Christian organization devoted to celebrating and empowering LGBTQ+ youth of faith. They host virtual support groups for youth and have free downloadable publications, with paperback copies available as well. They also have a private Youth Pastor Network that is free to join!

The LGBTQ Family Acceptance Project is a research organization from the University of Southern Maryland School for Social Work that uses evidence-based practices to provide additional support to decrease mental health risks and promote well being of LGBTQIA+ youth. They maintain a directory of available crisis lines.

PFLAG is the oldest organization in the world of parents who love and affirm their LGBTQ+ children! You can search for a chapter near you on their website or check in with you local LGBTQ+ Resource Center to find or help start PFLAG meetings in your area.

Centerlink is the National Organization of LGBTQ+ Resource Centers, and maintains a map and directory of Centers throughout the USA. They also run additional survey efforts and programing, including a secure, accessible online LGBTQ+ youth chat space called Q Chat Space. Available for English and Spanish speakers, Q Chat Space provides live, chat-based, professionally facilitated, online support and discussion groups for LGBTQ+ teens 13-19.

Mama Bears is a network of moms of LGBTQ+ youth that contains both a private community group and service projects aimed to share the love and protection many LGBTQ+ youth are missing.

Gender Spectrum is a leading resource for creating all kinds of gender inclusive environments and supporting youth on their journeys.

InterACT Advocates for Intersex Youth and provides lots of additional information about the Intersex Community.

Reconciling Works’ page of additional resources for youth.

While there are many more titles available elsewhere online, RfA has curated a brief list below of books and guides that we and our friends have found helpful. Many of these titles should be available to you at local public libraries. We’ve included links to purchase where available; while many of these links are from Amazon, they can likely be found elsewhere online or through your local bookseller as well.

Books for Families of Queer Youth

Embracing the Journey: A Christian Parent’s Blueprint to Loving Your LGBTQ Child by Greg and Lynn McDonald is a sympathetic, compassionate, and inspiring guide for parents—from the founders of one of the first Christian ministries for parents of LGBTQ children.

Queerfully and Wonderfully Made by Leigh Finke is an important affirmation and resource guide written for Christian youth directly, but easily can be a title for parents to read alongside their kids, too.

Love Lives Here by Amanda Jetté Knox is an inspirational story of accepting and embracing two trans people in a family–a family who shows what’s possible when you “lead with love.”

Unconditional: A Guide to Loving and Supporting Your LGBTQ Child by Telaina Eriksen offer no nonsense tips from a parent of gay daughter on how to navigate many of the scariest topics parents face, including bullying, unhealthy relationships, and legal protections for LGBTQ children.

This Is a Book for Parents of Gay Kids: A Question & Answer Guide to Everyday Life (Book for Parents of Queer Children, Coming Out to Parents and Family) by Owens-Reid and Russo

Transgender Children and Youth: Cultivating Pride and Joy with Families in Transition by Elijah C. Nealy

A Brief Guide to Ministry with LGBTQIA Youth by Cody J. Sanders

LGBTQIA-Inclusive Books for Younger Readers

A Church For All by Gayle E. Pitman

Julián Is A Mermaid by Jessica Love

It Feels Good to Be Yourself: A Book about Gender Identity by Theresa Thorn

This is Our Rainbow: 16 Stories of Her, Him, Them, and Us edited by Katherine Locke and Nicole Melleby

Stella Brings the Family by Miriam Schiffer

Mommy, Momma, and Me by Leslea Newman

The Family Book by Todd Parr

One Family by George Shannon

Young Adult Nonfiction that Educates and Validates

Queerfully and Wonderfully Made by Leigh Finke

Are you LGBTQ+? Not sure? Whether you’re queer or questioning, understanding sexuality and gender identity can be confusing. And if you’re a Christian, questions of identity can be even scarier. Is there something wrong with you? Will your friends accept you? When should you tell your family? What about church? Queerfully and Wonderfully Made: A Guide for LGBTQ+ Christian Teens has answers to all these questions and more.

Before I Had the Words: On Being a Transgender Young Adult by Skylar Kergil is a first person look at the journey of transition for one young man.

The Little Book of Pride: The History, The People, The Parades by Lewis Laney is a great starting place for learning about LGBTQ History in America while celebrating Pride Month.