LGBTQ+ parents’ experiences talking with their children about sex and sexuality

Abstract

Parents are key stakeholders in their children’s sex education, but previous research has predominantly focused on heterosexual parents’ experiences discussing sex and sexuality with their children, resulting in a lack of information on LGBTQ+ parents and their children. This project examined open-ended responses to an online survey from 45 LGBTQ+ parents discussing their experiences talking with their children about sex and sexuality. LGBTQ+ parents focused on open and honest discussions, normalizing sexuality for their children, and emphasizing consent. Parents also discussed who initiated conversations, the impact of their own sex education experiences, and preparing for these conversations in a variety of ways.

Promoting sexual health in transgender and gender diverse adolescents through an online sexuality psychoeducation program for parents: A case study

“…At the end of this meeting we administered (upon informed consent) the pre-intervention semi-structured questionnaire (T0). We created this questionnaire (described in the Measures paragraph) based on similar projects described in scientific literature (Cohen et al, 2004; Easterbrook, 2019), and on clinical experience. The questionnaire was administered online through Google Forms , and the data was anonymized by using an ID number for each participant.…”

“…Before beginning the program, we ran an introductory meeting during which parents were actively involved in discussing results from the pre-intervention questionnaire, in order to set up a list of topics for each of the three sessions of the program. In the pre-intervention questionnaire there was both a closed-ended question a list of topics (specified in Table 2) extracted from previous literature (Cohen et al, 2004; Easterbrook, 2019); and an open-ended question asking parents to write which were, in their opinion, the sex education needs of their children.…”

Elterliche Sexualaufklärung und sexuelles Risikoverhalten bei Töchtern und Söhnen: Befunde aus der Repräsentativbefragung „Jugendsexualität“

“…Die Dynamik sexueller Kommunikation in Familien wird durch weitere Aspekte, wie beispielsweise die Geschwister, mitbestimmt: Wer gleichgeschlechtliche ältere Geschwister hat, wendet sich in sexuellen Belangen eher an diese als an die Eltern [ 32 , 33 ]. Nicht zuletzt spielen auch die geschlechtlichen und sexuellen Identitäten der Eltern wie der Kinder eine Rolle dabei, ob und wie offen in der Jugendphase der Kinder miteinander über Sexualität gesprochen wird [ 34 ].…”