People who are open about their bisexuality are often met by responses including: they are delusional, are in denial of their true homosexuality and just haven’t had the guts to fully come out as yet, are promiscuous as they are never satisfied with a relationship with one gender, and bisexual males are largely responsible for […]
The following is an excerpt from Irwin Krieger’s book ‘Helping Your Transgender Teen – A Guide for Parents’. “Telling the extended family and friends of the family is a stressful experience for most parents of transsexual teens. Fear of rejection and criticism, or fear of causing unmanageable distress for older family members is common. Many […]
Now, more than ever, young people are coming out to their parents as early as the age of 14. When families are supportive and accepting, this can be an enormously beneficial experience to the person coming out. Family support increases self-esteem and often helps prevent or minimize feelings of depression, suicidal thoughts and risky behaviours. […]
As much as our gay, bisexual, lesbian and transgender communities are filled with people who are emotionally stable, positive, supportive and loving, there are also many examples in of younger and older people who act as though they have spent the day chewing the skin of unripened lemons. Bitterness can be defined as: “angry and […]
There has been a lot of talk in the media recently about school bullying and the devastating impact this can have on people well into adulthood. One very important group of people that the media has overlooked is gay and lesbians who are constantly abused more than almost any other group. Many people who are […]
The benefits of feeling confident in life are endless. It is a distinct advantage when deciding what you want out of life, how you are going to do it and actually successfully pulling it off (so to speak). Confidence can also give you the ability to stand up for yourself, and be more assertive. However, […]
Imagine you’re at your out with friends and one mentions that they know your partner is seeing someone else and compliment you on having an open relationship. Saying you guys give me hope that open relationships really can work.” “You reply with rapidly thinning lips… “Actually, we are in a monogamous relationship!” You are then […]
Being gay, lesbian or bisexual can be seen on a continuum from exclusive same sex attraction to exclusive opposite sex attraction. If someone is a gay male or lesbian, they can have an intimate sexual and emotional relationship with a person the same sex. Those who have attempted to change their orientation to become heterosexual […]
This is an important question that does not always have a quick answer. Transgender refers to someone who is uncomfortable with their assigned gender; i.e. was born female, but feels very uncomfortable with being a women. Remember that gender is the expression of a particular sex so being a woman and feminine is the expected […]
Anxiety can be an all-consuming state that seems to interrupt daily functioning. People struggling with anxiety attacks will experience a range of symptoms including shortness of breath, racing heart, excessive sweating, dizziness, nausea, diarrhea and general “butterflies in the tummy”. Sometimes this ‘attack’ can cause stuttering and cloudy thinking that also interrupts general functioning. It […]