Family Secrets

Gay Sons - A Mother's Story

Jean M Baker (Autor)

Buch | Hardcover

258 Seiten

1998
Routledge (Verlag)
978-0-7890-0248-8 (ISBN)

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As a clinical psychologist, Jean Baker had always considered herself open-minded and tolerant, but found she wasn’t prepared for the revelation that her only two children were both gay. Family Secrets is an inspirational story of how she and her family learned to accept one another and overcome their internalized fears and prejudices as well as how they coped with a much greater challenge in their personal lives--HIV/AIDS. Family Secrets is more than a parenting memoir, however. It is a guide that draws upon research and scientific findings to capsize the myths and stereotypes that contribute to societal homophobia. It offers important insight into the developmental needs of gay children, and it discusses the issues faced by gay and lesbian youth and their families.Offering practical suggestions about how parents and schools can help gay, lesbian, and bisexual children grow up to be productive, psychologically healthy adults, Family Secrets discusses the effects of social prejudice and stigma on the social and emotional development of sexual minorities. As long as homophobia is running rampant in American society, gay children are going to be reluctant or afraid to confide in their parents, and parents will have trouble understanding and accepting homosexuality in their children. To end the secrecy and build open and healthy environments for all children and adolescents, this book discusses:

tactics for reducing homophobia in non-gay youths
promoting tolerance and understanding of sexual minorities at home and in school
the effects an AIDS death has on families
“coming out” about HIV/AIDS
discussing homosexuality with your children, regardless of whether or not they are gay or lesbian
sexual orientation and the interaction of biology with experienceBecause Family Secrets is written from the viewpoint of a parent/psychologist, it offers insights into the developmental needs of gay and lesbian children in a way that no other book has done. School counselors, psychologists, marriage and family counselors, teachers, school administrators, and the parents and siblings of gays and lesbians will all benefit from reading this honest, helpful, and encouraging book.

Baker, Jean M

Contents
Preface

Acknowledgments
Chapter 1. Love Overcomes
Chapter 2. Childhood
Chapter 3. Adolescence
Chapter 4. A Son Comes Out
Chapter 5. Coming of Age
Chapter 6. Columbia Years: 1981–1984
Chapter 7. Mother’s Coming Out
Chapter 8. Becoming a Writer
Chapter 9. The Verdict
Chapter 10. After the Verdict
Chapter 11. Another Verdict
Chapter 12. Forewarnings
Chapter 13. Strange Interlude
Chapter 14. Final Days
Chapter 15. Grief, Loss, and AIDS
Chapter 16. Memories and the Right to Die
Chapter 17. Homosexuality: Facts, Fallacies, Feelings
References
Index

Erscheint lt. Verlag	17.8.2001
Verlagsort	New York
Sprache	englisch
Maße	156 x 216 mm
Gewicht	640 g
Themenwelt	Geisteswissenschaften ► Psychologie ► Sexualität / Partnerschaft
Themenwelt	Sozialwissenschaften ► Soziologie ► Gender Studies
ISBN-10	0-7890-0248-5 / 0789002485
ISBN-13	978-0-7890-0248-8 / 9780789002488
Zustand	Neuware