LGBTQ Youth and Grief with Bridget Hughes and Lizzie McAdam From the Hetrick-Martin Institute

“Just like your child needs to be with other teenagers who’ve experienced parental loss, a death in the family, your LGBTQ teenager needs to find other LGBTQ teenagers. And that connection is the thing that’s going to not just get them through, but make them whole.”

— Bridget Hughes

I had such a great discussion with Bridget Hughes and Lizzie McAdam of the Hetrick-Martin Institute for this episode. We talked about LGBTQ youth and grief. I’m so glad we covered this topic for a couple of reasons: first, because there are some unique issues for parents to be aware of in case they have an LGBTQ teen who is grieving; and second, because having a kid come out can feel like unfamiliar territory, like a whole new challenge for the surviving parent to handle alone, without their parenting partner. It can feel overwhelming to figure out how to support your kid when you’re already dealing with so much on your own.

Bridget and Lizzie and I talked about so many things, including:

• The importance of identity development during the teen years and how losing a parent affects that;

• What other types of losses LBGTQ youth face that are important for parents to understand;

• Mental health issues that LGBTQ youth are more at-risk for;

• How LGBTQ youth are more at-risk for social isolation;

• Challenges in coming out to straight peers and navigating social environments such as school, camps, sports, and other youth activities that tend to be sex-segregated;

• How social or family pressure to live a hetero-normative lifestyle can affect LGBTQ youth;

• Ways the LGBTQ community has developed over time to deal with community-level grief;

• The importance of LGBTQ youth getting support from other members of the LGBTQ community; and

• Where parents can find support for themselves in understanding and supporting their LGBTQ teens.

I hope you enjoy my discussion with Bridget Hughes and Lizzie McAdam.

Links & resources for this episode

• Hetrick-Martin Institute

• National Alliance for Grieving Children

• New York Life Foundation

• Andrew Solomon

• PFLAG - resources, information, and support for parents

• GLSEN: Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network

More links for listeners

• Download: Kids & Grief: What You Need to Know

• Article: I’m a Widowed Mom: Here Are My 3 Tips for COVID-19 Widows

• Book: Widowed Parents Unite: 52 Tips to Get Through the First Year, from One Widowed Parent to Another

Thank you sponsors & partners:

Help Texts - Grief support text messaging service. Tips and support delivered all year long, personalized based on your loss. Listeners get $10 off: https://helptexts.com/jennylisk

BetterHelp - Talk with a licensed, professional therapist online. Get 10% off your first month: betterhelp.com/widowedparent

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