Parents, Friends and Family
Windsor Pride Community celebrates and supports all Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning people and their Parents, Friends and Families. You are not alone- there are others who live in the Windsor Essex County community who have children and friends who have come out. ?Coming out? means your son or daughter has self identified as Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBTIQ) and is sharing this information with someone else. We recommend you review the Glossary and Terms found on this website so that you can become comfortable with the vocabulary and learn as much as you can so that you help and support those you love and care about.

Some parents, friends and family will first hear these words when their children are in junior, middle school, high school or university. Some parents and friends will need to respond to homophobic bullying of their children and friends because they are different from the others at school and work. Seek the support of teachers, school administrators to start a Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) at your child?s school. Raise the issues in Parent Councils. Together much more can be accomplished. Homophobic behaviors and attitudes remain all too common in Windsor Essex County.

Unfortunately teens with nowhere to turn and no one to talk to are at high risk to harm themselves. PFLAG www.pflag.ca  notes that 26% of LGBTIQ teens are told to leave home and 30% of suicides are individuals of all ages struggling with identity as LGBTIQ. In addition to Windsor Pride Community the Service Alliance for Equality (SAFE) http://www.safewindsor.com/      is an important local collaboration of service providers which include Family health teams, educators, Teen Health Centre, Windsor Pride, Mental Health Professionals which advocates on behalf of youth and families of LGBTIQ individuals and encourages the development of training and resources to increase local capacity to serve youth and their families. 

Depending on the age of parents, friends, and family you may have witnessed in your lifetimes very significant milestones in human rights legislation in Canada including decriminalization of homosexuality in the Criminal Code, inclusion of sexual orientation in the Human Rights Code, and gay marriage. Much has changed in the media and society regarding the acceptance and recognition of the contributions of LGBTIQ persons. Statistics Canada estimates the LGBTIQ population at 7% or 2,380,000 Canadians. Like all generations before us, change is inevitable and expected. Technology, media, social attitudes, and employment patterns in the period of one generation society have changed. Today Gays and Lesbians in Canada share the same rights and freedoms as all other Canadians. You may not be comfortable with the rate of change. It may be challenging to reconcile your child or friend?s sexual orientation with your cultural and religious values. You may struggle with your own expectations of how the lives of your children and friends would develop. Though times have changed, You are not alone. 

Looking for support?
Windsor Pride Community in collaboration with Family Service Windsor Essex County and the Windsor Family Health Team offer a Support group especially for Parents, Family and Friends. Windsor Pride groups are facilitated by qualified social workers and certified counselors. Groups meet weekly. They are operated at several locations throughout Windsor so that your participation can be private, and confidentiality can be assured. Check the website for the latest information about locations, dates and times. Windsor Essex has a Facebook page and local chapter for PFLAG.  When you are ready become involved in supporting other parents who live in Windsor Essex. Too often in the past, parents in this community have felt alone.

In the meantime, visit our website Online Resources for more information.

Discovery
Each life will be unique. Many LGBTIQ children, teens and young adults and older adults will have lived a life of struggle and inner anxiety and find they no longer can hide who they are. Some have been bullied and targeted. There are many factors which prevent these children, teens and adults from coming out previously: fear of rejection, internalized homophobia, self awareness and maturity, lack of role models, family experience and expectations, cultural norms, religious upbringing, educational experience, and for those who come out later in life, marital status, children, and place of residence, income, and workplace acceptance. 
  
An important website resource written for you is PFLAG www.pflag.ca

Health and Safety
You are the person your son, daughter or friend can turn to. You could be a family or friend or someone who is trusted with private information. Many LGBTIQ persons know they are different at a young age. Some wish they would just fit in and that their feelings would go away. The closet is a term used to describe an individual who self identifies as LGBTIQ but has not shared the information. Perhaps you knew your child or friend was different. Coming out is a very personal decision. While it can strengthen and deepen relationships and improve self-esteem, it can be a very scary thing. In some situations, it can even be risky. Homophobic attitudes and behaviors are present today in many communities and workplaces like Windsor Essex. Personal safety is paramount. Coming out is often done in stages. It may be an individual?s choice to be out to a parent, aunt or uncle, cousin, one or two close personal friends, while not out to those at school or for those come out later in life colleagues at work and members of your family. Others may gradually come out to more people. Some people will want to move to a larger city as they move forward with their life. You will find in the reading list of online resources and article about the trend of younger people come out.

Naturally the health and well being of your child or friend will be important to you. Encourage the LGBTIQ individual to talk to their medical doctor or seek a new doctor so that they can get the necessary information to protect their health. For those seeking a LGBTIQ friendly doctor please consider the Windsor Family Health Team   http://www.windsorfht.ca/    which has take a leadership role in primary care for our community. The team includes doctors, nurses, social workers, and dieticians. 
 
Celebrating !
Here are the most important things to tell your child or friend: Love yourself. Be true to yourself. Express yourself. Find your voice to speak to the world. Learn what others are doing. LGBTIQ people are some of the strongest people on the planet. There are role models in every field. Attend a Pride Festival to support your child or friend. Volunteer and make a pledge to donate to causes which impact LGBTIQ lives. Help support the mission of Windsor Pride Community and lay a stronger foundation for the generations to come. Gay and Lesbian family members are more commonly acknowledged and celebrated today.