Mom, Dad, I'm Gay.: How Families Negotiate Coming Out (Hardcover)

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Product Description

As mainstream America becomes more aware of the non-heterosexual community, gay, lesbian, transgendered, and bisexual teenagers are revealing their sexual identities to their parents at a younger age than ever before. Often this happens while teens are still living at home. How do they decide whether and when to take this risky step? What is involved in negotiating a new identity with parents? And how common are the coming out “horror stories” published in the popular press?

Drawing from over 150 original interviews with teens, psychologist Ritch Savin-Williams separates fact from fiction in this survey of coming out experiences. Drawing from existing developmental research, he illustrates the wide range of family reactions and discusses the factors that determine how parents come to terms with the disclosure over time. He reveals that the coming out experience is greatly influenced by gender, and chapters highlight common mother-daughter, mother-son, father-daughter, and father-son dynamics.

At the end of the book, readers will find tips on how parents can be helped to negotiate the coming out process and learn to support their child’s emerging sexual identity. This book will be an excellent resource for those who counsel or work with lesbian, gay, transgendered, or bisexual children and their families and for psychologists and researchers interested in this under-researched subject.

About the Author

Ritch C. Savin-Williams is professor of clinical and developmental psychology and director of graduate studies in the Department of Human Development at Cornell University.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 276 pages
• Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA); 1 edition (January 15, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1557987416
• ISBN-13: 978-1557987419
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 7.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #488,272 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #23 in	Books > Gay & Lesbian > Nonfiction > Coming Out
  #65 in	Books > Health, Mind & Body > Psychology & Counseling > By Topic > Family
  #69 in	Books > Gay & Lesbian > Parenting & Families

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mom,Dad I'm Gay: How Families Negotiate Coming Out, November 9, 2001

By	Ambrose Aban (Manhattan, New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This book says it all for those who are in the process of "coming out". Stop asking for more opinions from your closest gay friends (friends who are either already out or yet to come out) or your understanding girlfriends. Just read this book.

The books tells you all that you need to know and need to do to "come out". I wouldn't have given it a five-star rating if I was not totally impressed. The writing style is wonderful and the approaches are just unbelievably easy and comforting.

Often it is hard to even think about telling your mom and dad because of this feeling of fear that either "they'll die or they'll kill me"...I am not spoiling the fun for you so I am not going to tell you the content of this book. The title of this book should give you a clear idea of what the content is.

However, what I can tell you is that this book will definitely tell you how to give yourself permission to act on the feelings you have been hiding and keeping safely inside (about coming out and not think that your mom and dad will die or they will kill you).

You will be able to find a natural and spontaneous expression of your deepest, most intimate feelings after reading this book.

This book cracks you open from pressure of coming out. So, what are you waiting for, go get it now.