Answer
Thank you for your question. You may have known this for a while and feel relieved that your child has shared this news with you. Or, you may not have anticipated this and feel as though it came from nowhere. It is normal to feel a range of emotions when you learn this news. That is OK.
If your young person has told you then it is important to keep communication open around the topic. Be led by them and listen to them. They may still be processing this themselves and it may take them some time to figure out what they need from you. Your child will need your support now more than ever. It is likely they have known about this for some time, and they will feel relieved that they have finally had an opportunity to share this. Talk to them and hear what it is they need from you. Check in with your young person about sharing this information further. They may not want you to tell anyone else in the family straight away.
If your young person asks to change their name or pronouns, it is important to listen to this so that they can feel seen, heard and accepted in their home. This will positively impact their mental health and wellbeing. You may need to contact the young person’s school and speak with the principal about this.
It is important for your young person to connect to the LGBTQ+ community. There are LGBTQ+ groups all around Ireland. Depending on the age of your young person, we would recommend checking out the one closest to you by following this link.
It is likely that you will need to talk to someone too as you start to process your own feelings about this – and we know that there may be many. Talking directly to our Family Support Service is a good place to start, and from there we can help connect you with other support groups and parents in a similar situation.
You are not alone in this.
Jen