It’s no secret that LGBTQ kids get it tough in school, and this destroys LGBTQ youth’s confidence. As a result, many find themselves with low self-confidence, defensive, depressed, and sad. This doesn’t have to be the case. With a little self-motivation and care, LGBTQ youth’s confidence issues change, and they can become a rising stars among their peers. They can be the kid everyone loves to be around.
1. Be a Role Model to Boost LGBT Youth Confidence
Every child, whether they are LGBTQ or not, deserves a strong role model. The benefits of a role model will go a long way toward a child’s development.
It is believed young children repeat what they hear and see. This doesn’t change with age. Adolescents become the adults they see in the adults around them. This means you have to be a positive role model in an LGBTQ child’s life.
When they are around you, show them your level of confidence. Challenge them to do things that will make them step outside of their comfort zone. Even you should do things with them that make you step outside of your comfort zone. Together, you two will grow a deep bond and this will help an LGBTQ child boost their confidence.
2. Show Them Images of Positive LGBTQ representation
One of the major problems for children in my generation is we did not have nearly enough positive representation of LGBTQ people in our lives.
I am a millennial, but I’m an early 80s millennial. I grew up in a time when the tide for social acceptance for being gay had not yet turned. That isn’t really the case anymore today.
If you want to boost the confidence of LGBTQ youth, allow them to see positive representatives of themselves in the media, on entertainment shows, and in the world, they live in.
Teach them about popular LGBTQ people like Don Lemon and Anderson Cooper, two very respected and well-known journalists. Inform them of the senators and members of Congress who are openly LGBTQ. We had a prominent 2020 presidential candidate who is in the LGBTQ community.
A person who knows about their history will be better off with their future.
3. Encourage Them To Come Out of The Closet
The biggest source of pain that LGBTQ people in general feel is being in the closet. When we are hidden, it forces us to carry a burden of guilt and shame. No one wants to feel like they are a liar. When we hide who we are, we are lying and we know we are lying…hiding.
The American Journal of Orthopsychiatry produced the first-known study to document the benefits of being out during adolescence, despite the fact that teens may experience bullying when they openly identify as LGBT ~ University of Arizona Study Summary on ScienceDaily.com
According to Science Daily, LGBTQ youth who come out early in their development have higher self-confidence. The American Journal of Orthopsychiatry produced the first-known study to document the benefits of being out during adolescence, despite the fact that teens may experience bullying when they openly identify as LGBTQ.
Coming out of the closet is a hard process. You can help a teen do this by being there for them and letting them know they have a strong support system. Teach them secrets about what it means to come out. I shared my coming-out story in an article. I believe everyone’s experience is very different. There are countless other coming out stories of other LGBTQ young adults on YouTube.
As their parent or role model, if you are the first they come out to and you love and support them, it will make it much easier for them to come out to their peers and be confident in themselves as LGBTQ youth.
4. Give Them Community
Recruit other members of your family and friend circle to show your LGBTQ kid support. The more support and acceptance they feel, the more confident they will be. When we receive a lot of support, it makes those who don’t support us become less and less important.
Having a sense of belonging and acceptance is a part of our basic needs. Another way to ensure your LGBTQ child feels a sense of community is to put them in peer groups.
The Center for Parenting Education explains the benefits of a peer group.
- Socializes your kid and establish socially acceptable behaviors and attitudes
- Helps your kid to explore worldviews and cultures that may be different from your family
- Exposes them to varying personality types, which will be a constant occurrence throughout their life
- Helps them to manage group dynamics and group situations
It will also help to expose them to other LGBTQ kids so they can feel a sense of comradery with someone who may know exactly how they feel as LGBTQ youth.
5. Give Them Positive Coping Strategies
We learn to cope with things one way or another. After we experience prolonged periods of stress, our bodies will learn to cope with this by psychologically becoming dependent on little escapes here and there. These show up as bad actions.
Positive things your child can do to cope with the stressors of being an LGBTQ kid are:
- Writing a journal
- Writing short stories
- Exploring Music
- Singing
- Dance and Theatre
- Sports for leisure
- Team Sports
There are many other things that could also be hobbies used as outlets to build LGBTQ youth’s confidence.
Support Goes a Long Way
These five tips can help LGBTQ youth boost their confidence and feel more accepted. By feeling more confident, they can live more authentic lives and be proud of who they are. It is important to remember that everyone is different and there is no right or wrong way to be LGBTQ. If you are struggling with your identity, please reach out for help. There are many resources available, and there is no shame in seeking help. Feel free to shoot me a note for one-on-one advice.