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Becoming the Parent of a GLB Son or Daughter

Recent research has documented the importance of parental reactions to disclosure for sexual minority youths (SMY) (e.g., Ryan, Huebner, Diaz, & Sanchez, 2009). The purpose of this study was to develop a deeper understanding of the parent perspective of the disclosure to family experience of SMY ages 14 to 21. In-depth interviews were conducted with eight parents in the United States who had experienced a child disclose their gay, lesbian, or bisexual (GLB) orientation to them. Constructivist grounded theory and symbolic interaction theory informed the methodology and data analysis for the project. Analysis revealed that the process of becoming the parent of a GLB son or daughter is an appropriate narrative to conceptualize the parental experience of the disclosure-to-family process. The findings highlight how disclosure introduces new roles into the existing family system, which affects the consideration and interpretation of the salience of particular identities, such as being the parent of a GLB son or daughter. Understanding how parents experience the disclosure-to-family process—particularly, how they understand and re-envision the meaning of being a parent—is crucial for research and intervention to help families become supportive of SMY. Limitations and suggestions for future research are presented.