Sexual orientation can be hard to talk about. Many people find it confusing and potentially complex. For many parents, it’s especially uncomfortable to talk about sexuality with their kids, but small steps go a long way.
The team at SARAVYC has designed a resource for East Asian parents as part of our research in tracking heath for ethnoculturally diverse lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) youth. The resource’s purpose is to help East Asian parents understand and support their teen’s sexual orientation and is available in English, Traditional and Simplified Chinese, Korean, and Japanese.
“My parents were in denial about my even having a sexuality. They didn’t realize that I have another identity besides student.”
Using data gathered from the British Columbia Adolescent Health Survey, the research shows that when East Asian LGB youth are more connected to their families, they have:
- REDUCED RISK of suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts, and self-harm
- IMPROVED WELL-BEING with lower stress and fewer mental health concerns
- RAISED SELF-ESTEEM with higher likelihood of feeling good about themselves
- STRENGTHENED SUPPORT with higher likelihood of having a trusted adult to talk to about serious problems
