Perspectives of Youth With LGBTQ+ Parents: Feelings of Openness and Acceptance Toward Others, Oneself, and Family

Abstract

Youth with LGBTQ+ parents may feel that their parents’ LGBTQ+ identity impacted their lives because of unique experiences such as LGBTQ+ family socialization. Guided by family systems, queer, and social constructionism theories, we explored this question via in-depth interviews with 49 youth (8 with minoritized gender identities and 25 with minoritized sexual identities) between 12 and 25 years old ( Mage = 19.51, SD = 3.48) in the United States, and who had at least one LGBTQ+ parent. Using inductive thematic analysis, four themes were identified: (1) feelings of openness and acceptance toward the self; (2) feelings of openness and acceptance toward others; (3) feelings of openness and acceptance toward their family; and (4) perceptions of normalcy. Many endorsed these themes and reported that they felt this way specifically due to their parents’ LGBTQ+ identities. Youth were asked about their thoughts related to future families. These themes were considered in relation to their family formation (e.g., adoption; donor insemination). This research indicates that youth with LGBTQ+ parents may experience unique socialization about openness and acceptance in the context of their families. This research is important in informing culturally competent practice for other youth, parents, and those who serve LGBTQ+ parent families.