Anonymous asked: My cousin who is 4 years younger than me, is lesbian and wants to come out of the closet, and I want to help her, as an older cousin and a fellow lesbian. But her parents, my aunt and uncle are extremely Homophobic, and I know they'll freak out. So I want to help her and make it easier on her than my experience was, but I don't know how. Any ideas?
I’m not sure what your area is like but look around for some youth LGBT groups and such to find outside support. Having a great base of friends and community will help negate what might be a very hard time. She is beyond blessed to have such a great cousin and that alone is going to do so much to ease the process.
Can you be present when she comes out to her parents? You never know how responsive someone will be. I’ve seen extremely homophobic parents handle things in stride and make a turn around when its “their baby.” On the flip side, I’ve seen more liberal parents throw fits. The thing to remember and I hope you can tell her this too, that their reaction has nothing to do with her. She hasn’t changed at all and is just as wonderful as ever. When you do have that talk with the parents, don’t beat around the bush or do it in some pubilc place (unless you are honestly worried about safety) but have her say it herself, outloud and with confidence. Let them know that it is a done deal by not explaining or going into details. And be respectful of them. I know that part might be hard but showing respect plus that confidence will present her less as a confused child and more as a growing adult who has found herself.
I hope everything goes well and if there are any serious issues concerning safety or emotional issues check out my resources. Thanks for the ask! Much love <3
