In this episode, Beth talks with the founder of Pride & Joy Foundation, Elena Joy Thurston, about her personal story as a lesbian mom, and about how our LGBTQ+ youth are doing. She gives practical advice for parents to help their LGBTQ+ kids. Her foundation offers quarterly parent workshops, a queer writing project, diversity consulting, and a book about LGBTQ+ people in business. Elena Joy is a powerhouse and is making positive change in the world. 

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Safe Home is created by Joseph Nakao and his moms Beth Syverson and Jan Mabie

Music written and performed by Joseph Nakao

Cover art by Joseph Nakao, photo by Beth Syverson, with design help from Nina Smith

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RESOURCES:

Other Parents Like Me -  https://www.facebook.com/other.parents.like.me

Heather Ross - Life Coaching for Parents of Addicted Teens: https://heatherrosscoaching.com/

Find a Tele-Therapist: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/online-counseling

 

Mentioned during this episode:

Pride & Joy Foundation Parent Connection workshops: http://www.PrideandJoyParents.com; 

Elena Joy’s book Thriving in Business: Strategies for the LGBTQ+ Entrepreneur:

www.QueerBusinessBook.com

Elena Joy’s LGBTQ+ author project OUTWrite Authors: www.OUTWriteAuthors.com

An article about neurodivergence & LGBTQ+ people by Elena Joy: https://www.prideandjoyfoundation.com/blog/raisingLGBTQneurodiversekids

An article that has book recommendation for the 2 books Elena Joy recommends that parents read: https://www.prideandjoyfoundation.com/blog/gifts%20for%20LGBTQ%20loves%20ones

An article about Pride & Joy Foundation’s corporate inclusion trainings: https://www.prideandjoyfoundation.com/blog/corporateinclusion3e

Elena Joy’s TED Talk about her life: https://www.ted.com/talks/elena_joy_thurston_conversion_therapy_almost_took_my_life_mindfulness_saved_it

 

TIME STAMPS:

2:06 Elena Joy’s bio

5:26 Conversion therapy

9:00 Me Too

11:52 Divorce and child custody

14:04 Starting Pride & Joy Foundation

17:32 Suicide prevention and helping LGBTQ+ college students

22:20 The state of our LGBTQ+ youth

23:39 LGBTQ+ and neurodiversity correlation

25:22 What do LGBTQ+ kids need from their parents

29:00 Love the sinner but hate the sin

31:00 Gender issues

38:33 Pandemic creating cultural change

40:22 Corporate diversity training

42:27 The Gay Agenda

43:30 Pride & Joy Publishing

47:55 Elena Joy’s career trajectory

 

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