101354: Accepting the Unacceptable: Religious Parents and Adult Gay and Lesbian Children

About the Course:

The study analyzed parental acceptance of adult gay and lesbian children. It included religiously oriented parents who had associated with groups such as Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays and Gays, affirmative parents who attended groups such as Parents, Families and Friends of Gays and Lesbians, and parents who had not affiliated with any support group. Results indicated that differences between levels of acceptance of sexual orientation were significant. Parents in each group stated that the process of learning and speaking to others helped them cope and accept what they could not change. This calls assumptions about “anti-gay” groups and organizations into question. COURSE SYLLABUS I. Statement of the Problem and Choice of Variables II Research Questions and Choice of Method III Definitions IV Method V Discussion VI Limitations, Recommendations for Future Research, and Conclusions

Journal/Publisher:

(Families in Society) Alliance for Children and Families

Publication Date:

2008/Vol. 89, No. 2

Author

Linda Freedman, LCSW, LMFT, PhD

About the Author:

Associate Faculty, Institute for Clinical Social Work, Chicago, IL

Recommended For:

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, psychologists, and other human services and behavioral health professionals who seek knowledge about therapeutic techniques for working with adult gay and lesbian children and their families. It is appropriate for participants with beginning and intermediate levels of knowledge about the topic.

Course Objectives:

1. 1. Explore factors that contribute to the acceptance of a child’s gay or lesbian orientation among religious and nonreligious parents.

2. 2. Consider the effects of parental participation in support groups on the level of acceptance.