I get asked this question pretty frequently:
How do I best support my child after they’ve come out to me?
And I love it. It shows they want to be intentional with their support, graceful with their words, and purposeful with their actions. Way to go, Mama.
I just tend to think that they already know.
When I lost in the fourth-grade spelling bee (I’ll never incorrectly spell repetition again), my mom reassured me how intelligent I was. How brave I was to compete in front of my friends. How it doesn’t matter, even though it stung.
When I got into the car, beaming after nailing a triple pirouette in ballet class, she screeched in delight with me. “Good job, Liv.”
When I knew I wanted to pivot in my professional life and become a teacher, she said, “I know you’ll be a great one.”
These moments of small sorrow, delight, and encouragement all correlate to your child coming out.
Because when they come out to you, it isn’t bad news that you have to brace yourself for and camouflage the reaction on your face.
It’s them letting you into the heartbreak of the spelling bee or the joy of a pirouette or the excitement of a new path.
You have faced this before, Mama, and you have all the love and wisdom your child needs.
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Olivia Meeks 