Despite increased societal acceptance of homosexuality, coming out for gay and lesbian teens is rarely an easy task. Many gay and lesbian youths first become aware of being homosexual during adolescence. The American Academy of Pediatrics defines homosexuality as the persistent sexual and emotional attraction to one’s gender and is part of the continuum of sexual expression. While the American Psychiatric Association for many years considered homosexuality an illness, it changed its position in 1973 and re-classified homosexuality as a psychologically viable sexual orientation/expression.

There has been much discussion about the genesis of homosexuality, but it remains unclear how and why sexual orientation evolves. Not all homosexual behavior, especially in early adolescence, is a predictor of future homosexuality. It is common for adult heterosexual males and females to report having had homosexual contact during their adolescent years. The exact percentage of adolescents, who are homosexual, is not known. Many people view homosexuality as a choice, while others feel it is not. This debate rages on.

In August 2014, Daniel Pierce came out to his parents and grandparents. Sadly, the outcome was not good. Pierce decided to start filming the interaction with his family, which quickly turned verbally abusive and physically violent. The five-minute video posted to YouTube went viral garnering nearly four million views. Later Pierce appeared on Dr. Drew to discuss his situation (click here to watch the interview).

One thing, I want to make clear, is that when a child does come out it affects the entire family. A lot of support, love and understanding is needed for all involved. When a person decides to “come out” it is important to know what resources are available for support for all. It is important to remember that when a child “comes out” there is a process that parents need to go through, too. They often are perplexed, shocked, angry and scared and can’t understand it. They need their support. All parents want to love their children and support them but often anxiety interferes. With the proper understanding of their particular child and homosexuality, they can do just that. There are groups like PFLAG that can help. PFLAG’s vision and mission are as follows:

Our Vision. PFLAG envisions a world where diversity is celebrated and all people are respected, valued, and affirmed inclusive of their sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression.

Our Mission. By meeting people where they are and collaborating with others, PFLAG realizes its vision through:

• Support for families, allies and people who are LGBTQ
• Education for ourselves and others about the unique issues and challenges facing people who are LGBTQ
• Advocacy in our communities to change attitudes and create policies and laws that achieve full equality for people who are LGBTQ

In our culture, homosexual youths have to deal with a number of mental health issues. The ongoing discrimination fuels anxiety, depression and other stress-related mental health problems among LGB people. My next blog will specifically look at some of these issues.

DISCLAIMER
Information contained in this blog is intended for educational purposes only. It is not intended as medical or psychiatric advice for individual conditions or treatment and does not substitute for a medical or psychiatric examination. A psychiatrist must make a determination about any treatment or prescription. Dr. Paul does not assume any responsibility or risk for the use of any information contained within this blog.