The Peaceful Parenting Podcast

Supporting LGBTQ Kids with Celeste and Jen of Mama Dragons: Episode 88a

Nov 13, 2024

43:19

This is a replay of an important episode. Celeste and Jen join me on the podcast to talk about supporting LGBTQ kids, specifically if you’re part of a religion or way of living that does not affirm them.

Celeste is the executive director of Mama Dragons, which was created by Gina Crivello. Gina gathered a small group of Latter-Day Saints (Mormon) mothers together as they navigated supporting their LGBTQ children in a culture that was not affirming.

Since then, Mama Dragons has grown to become a leader in affirming parent education and offers support to more than 9,000 members worldwide.

We cover:

[6:50] What is Mama Dragons
[11:50] How Jen found out her son was gay, and what she did to navigate it
[15:20] The physical effects of coming out of ‘fight, flight of freeze’ mode
[19:10] The difference affirming parents make, and how you can affirm a child
[22:10] Parenting practices to adopt
[24:30] What Jen wishes she knew about raising a gay son
[26:30] What Jen has learned working with Mama Dragons
[29:10] The impact of growing up in a religious setting
[31:50] The importance of doing your own research and not getting caught up in misinformation
[33:10] Why people so threatened by the idea of LGBTQ people
[38:35] Advice both Celeste and Jen would give to their younger parent self