If you clicked on this page you are doing the right thing, through wanting to support the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, or Trans person in your life. The following is a handful of things you can do to help.
Support
The most important thing to do is to show the person your support by telling them that you are there if they need someone to reach out to. It may be that that person does not reach out, or does not feel the need for the type of support you are offering, but the knowledge that you are there and that someone is caring and ready to go the extra mile can be overwhelmingly comforting.
Let them take the lead
Once you have made it known that you are a supportive figure in that LGBT person’s life, it’s important to take the lead from the young person. Forcing conversation and pushing the idea of support can often make people feel vulnerable and cornered, so it’s often a good idea to wait for them to ask for it. You can still support a young LGBT person indirectly by making idle conversation, for example, talking about an LGBT celebrity in a positive way, or mentioning your LGBT family friend. This allows you to show you are open and accepting, something many young LGBT people feel the people around them are not.
Point them in the right direction
It is not uncommon for young LGBT people to feel isolated, while having many questions about themselves and their gender or sexuality. Services like SexYOUality are here to provide support in the form of uplifting and engaging Youth Groups, and 1-2-1 sessions. We are here to help young LGBT people in Cambridge, and Cambridgeshire to feel supported, for them to learn about and understand their sexuality and gender identity and to provide valuable information on how to keep safe and happy. If you are supporting a young person who has questions about their gender or sexuality we hope our website and services can be helpful to you both.