More Human. More Kind. | Parenting LGBTQ Kids, Unlearning Fear, Becoming More Human

Are you afraid of “getting it wrong” when it comes to supporting your LGBTQ+ child or navigating today’s climate as an ally? You're not alone.

In this tender and truth-telling episode, Heather explores the quiet fears that often go unspoken in LGBTQ+ families: the parent’s fear of the unknown, the child’s fear of rejection, and the shared fear of being misunderstood. But instead of pushing fear away, she shows us how to make space for it and how that space can become a bridge toward safety, courage, and connection.

1. Learn how to recognize and name fear as a tool for deeper connection with your LGBTQ+ child
2. Discover simple, powerful tools like the VAST method and mirror conversations to strengthen trust and communication
3. Find clarity and calm through actionable steps like grounding together, journaling, and using fear as guidance instead of a block

Hit play to explore how you can turn fear into fuel—and become the brave, compassionate ally your LGBTQ+ child needs most right now.

Recommended resources this week:

1. PFLAG (https://pflag.org) — for support groups and educational tools, especially helpful for parents navigating early fear or confusion
2. Trevor Project 2024 National Survey — link — excellent data on LGBTQ+ youth mental health and what helps most
3. Gender Spectrum’s Parenting Resources — link — great for framing safe conversations and addressing fear with understanding

And of course, my book Parenting with Pride includes tools for navigating tough emotions—including fear—through the lens of love and allyship.

Hi, I’m Heather Hester, and I’m so glad you’re here!

Feeling uncertain or overwhelmed? Stay informed - visit my website

Join the Conversation on Substack

Read my book, Parenting with Pride.

Support the Show - Learn more here!

Watch on YouTube

Listen * Share * Review *NEW* episodes every Tuesday and Friday!

This is a place to feel messy while you're figuring it out.

At the heart of my work is a deep commitment to compassion, authenticity, and transformative allyship, especially for those navigating the complexities of parenting LGBTQ kids. Through this podcast, speaking, my writing, and the spaces I create, I help people unlearn bias, embrace their full humanity, and grow their capacity for courageous connection.

For parents, allies, and those pioneering a way to lead with love and kindness, I’m here with true, messy, and heartwarming stories, real tools, and grounding support to help you move from fear to fierce, informed action.

Whether you’re listening in, working with me directly, or quietly taking it all in, I see you. And I’m so glad you’re on this journey with me.

More Human. More Kind. formerly Just Breathe: Parenting Your LGBTQ Teen is a safe and supportive podcast in a heartfelt and empowering space where a mom and advocate offers the wisdom of lived experience and practical guidance and education to parents and allies, teaching empathy, kindness, love, and strong boundaries while supporting LGBTQ teens and the diverse LGBTQ community, including gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans, transgender, and queer individuals, through conversations about mental health, grief, gender identity, sexual orientation, human rights, social justice, parenting, parent support, and meaningful LGBTQ allyship and allyship in action.

What do you do when your child starts exploring gender and the world is telling you to panic instead of listen?

In this urgent and compassionate episode, Heather sits down with non-binary speaker and educator Rex Wilde to address the questions parents are asking most, especially in a time of rising fear, misinformation, and political attacks. With stories from their own journey, practical guidance, and data-backed truths, Rex brings clarity, courage, and warmth to one of the most misunderstood topics in today’s cultural conversation.

• Learn how to respond when your child begins expressing a different gender identity—or explores gender at all
• Hear how allyship is evolving, and what true support looks like in today’s climate
• Gain tools to navigate misinformation, avoid burnout, and build a resilient, affirming home and community

Press play to gain the grounded guidance, perspective, and hope you need to show up fully—as a parent, ally, and human.

Connect with Rex:

www.rexwilde.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rexewilde/

Hi, I’m Heather Hester, and I’m so glad you’re here!

Feeling uncertain or overwhelmed? Stay informed - visit my website

Join the Conversation on Substack

Read my book, Parenting with Pride.

Support the Show - Learn more here!

Watch on YouTube

Listen * Share * Review *NEW* episodes every Tuesday and Friday!

This is a place to feel messy while you're figuring it out.

At the heart of my work is a deep commitment to compassion, authenticity, and transformative allyship, especially for those navigating the complexities of parenting LGBTQ kids. Through this podcast, speaking, my writing, and the spaces I create, I help people unlearn bias, embrace their full humanity, and grow their capacity for courageous connection.

For parents, allies, and those pioneering a way to lead with love and kindness, I’m here with true, messy, and heartwarming stories, real tools, and grounding support to help you move from fear to fierce, informed action.

Whether you’re listening in, working with me directly, or quietly taking it all in, I see you. And I’m so glad you’re on this journey with me.

More Human. More Kind. formerly Just Breathe: Parenting Your LGBTQ Teen is a safe and supportive podcast in a heartfelt and empowering space where a mom and advocate offers the wisdom of lived experience and practical guidance and education to parents and allies, teaching empathy, kindness, love, and strong boundaries while supporting LGBTQ teens and the diverse LGBTQ community, including gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans, transgender, and queer individuals, through conversations about mental health, grief, gender identity, sexual orientation, human rights, social justice, parenting, parent support, and meaningful LGBTQ allyship and allyship in action.

What happens when crisis support is stripped away, but the danger remains? And what do we do with the heartbreak, anger, and fear that follow?

In this timely episode, Heather unpacks the quiet, unannounced removal of the LGBTQ+ support option from the national 988 crisis line—and what that loss means for queer youth, for families, and for every ally committed to creating a safer, more just world. But this conversation goes beyond policy. It dives into the emotional tension we’re all holding right now: how to stay engaged and hopeful while feeling deeply saddened, disappointed, and even disgusted. How to keep showing up—especially when it hurts.

• Understand why the removal of LGBTQ+-specific support from 988 isn’t just an administrative change—it’s a threat to lives
• Learn how to hold grief and courage at the same time—and how that duality can fuel real, loving action
• Get practical guidance on alternative crisis resources, how to advocate effectively, and how to be a refuge for LGBTQ+ youth when systems fall short

Listen now to reclaim your voice, strengthen your courage, and learn how to hold both heartbreak and hope in the fight to protect LGBTQ+ lives.

Links Mentioned:

• The Trevor Project Crisis Services – https://www.thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline – https://translifeline.org
• Q Chat Space – https://www.qchatspace.org
• National LGBTQ Task Force – https://www.thetaskforce.org
• Human Rights Campaign 988 Brief – [searchable on hrc.org]

Call your congresspeople - over and over and over!

Here's how it works:

1. Call the number: Dial (202) 224-3121.
2. Request an office: Tell the operator which member of Congress (Senator or Representative) you wish to reach.
3. Connect to the office: The operator will connect you directly to the requested office.

Hi, I’m Heather Hester, and I’m so glad you’re here!

Feeling uncertain or overwhelmed? Stay informed - visit my website

Join the Conversation on Substack

Read my book, Parenting with Pride.

Support the Show - Learn more here!

Watch on YouTube

Listen * Share * Review *NEW* episodes every Tuesday and Friday!

This is a place to feel messy while you're figuring it out.

At the heart of my work is a deep commitment to compassion, authenticity, and transformative allyship, especially for those navigating the complexities of parenting LGBTQ kids. Through this podcast, speaking, my writing, and the spaces I create, I help people unlearn bias, embrace their full humanity, and grow their capacity for courageous connection.

For parents, allies, and those pioneering a way to lead with love and kindness, I’m here with true, messy, and heartwarming stories, real tools, and grounding support to help you move from fear to fierce, informed action.

Whether you’re listening in, working with me directly, or quietly taking it all in, I see you. And I’m so glad you’re on this journey with me.

More Human. More Kind. formerly Just Breathe: Parenting Your LGBTQ Teen is a safe and supportive podcast in a heartfelt and empowering space where a mom and advocate offers the wisdom of lived experience and practical guidance and education to parents and allies, teaching empathy, kindness, love, and strong boundaries while supporting LGBTQ teens and the diverse LGBTQ community, including gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans, transgender, and queer individuals, through conversations about mental health, grief, gender identity, sexual orientation, human rights, social justice, parenting, parent support, and meaningful LGBTQ allyship and allyship in action.

Are you truly protecting your LGBTQ child - or just hoping love will be enough?

In a world where safety for LGBTQ+ youth is under attack, many parents and allies feel overwhelmed, unsure how to provide real protection at home. This episode tackles the urgent need for emotional, psychological, and identity-based safety and offers a powerful framework to help families create affirming environments that truly protect.

1. Learn 5 simple yet transformative ways to make your home safer and more affirming for LGBTQ+ youth
2. Gain the confidence and language to set loving but firm boundaries with extended family and friends
3. Find strength and solidarity through connection to a growing, affirming community of families and advocates

Hit play to start building a home where your LGBTQ+ child feels safe, seen, and fiercely supported every single day.

Hi, I’m Heather Hester, and I’m so glad you’re here!

Feeling uncertain or overwhelmed? Stay informed - visit my website

Join the Conversation on Substack

Read my book, Parenting with Pride.

Support the Show - Learn more here!

Watch on YouTube

Listen * Share * Review *NEW* episodes every Tuesday and Friday!

This is a place to feel messy while you're figuring it out.

At the heart of my work is a deep commitment to compassion, authenticity, and transformative allyship, especially for those navigating the complexities of parenting LGBTQ kids. Through this podcast, speaking, my writing, and the spaces I create, I help people unlearn bias, embrace their full humanity, and grow their capacity for courageous connection.

For parents, allies, and those pioneering a way to lead with love and kindness, I’m here with true, messy, and heartwarming stories, real tools, and grounding support to help you move from fear to fierce, informed action.

Whether you’re listening in, working with me directly, or quietly taking it all in, I see you. And I’m so glad you’re on this journey with me.

More Human. More Kind. formerly Just Breathe: Parenting Your LGBTQ Teen is a safe and supportive podcast in a heartfelt and empowering space where a mom and advocate offers the wisdom of lived experience and practical guidance and education to parents and allies, teaching empathy, kindness, love, and strong boundaries while supporting LGBTQ teens and the diverse LGBTQ community, including gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans, transgender, and queer individuals, through conversations about mental health, grief, gender identity, sexual orientation, human rights, social justice, parenting, parent support, and meaningful LGBTQ allyship and allyship in action.

Can kindness be disruptive and even radical? And, what if being “nice” is quietly doing harm?

In today’s episode of More Human. More Kind., we explore the transformative power of kindness—not the performative kind that avoids discomfort, but the kind rooted in courage, truth, and fierce allyship. As parents and allies of LGBTQ+ youth, it can feel safer to choose politeness or neutrality, but true allyship demands something deeper. You’ll learn why kindness isn’t about staying quiet or keeping peace—it’s about protecting what matters, sparking change, and showing up even when it’s uncomfortable.

• How to recognize when “niceness” is causing harm, especially in LGBTQ+ spaces and advocacy.
• The emotional weight and cost of courageous kindness—and why it’s still worth it.
• Real-life examples of kindness as activism and allyship in action, from schools to hospitals to social media.

Press play to uncover how real kindness—backed by courage and guidance—can help you become the LGBTQ+ ally your child and community need right now.

• The Trevor Project – Crisis intervention and suicide prevention for LGBTQ+ youth.
• Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ) – Organizing white people for racial and economic justice.
• RAICES – Supporting immigrants and asylum seekers with legal aid and advocacy.
• The Okra Project – Nourishing Black trans people through meals and support.
• GLSEN – Advocating for inclusive and safe schools for LGBTQ+ youth.

Hi, I’m Heather Hester, and I’m so glad you’re here!

Feeling uncertain or overwhelmed? Stay informed - visit my website

Join the Conversation on Substack

Read my book, Parenting with Pride.

Support the Show - Learn more here!

Watch on YouTube

Listen * Share * Review *NEW* episodes every Tuesday and Friday!

This is a place to feel messy while you're figuring it out.

At the heart of my work is a deep commitment to compassion, authenticity, and transformative allyship, especially for those navigating the complexities of parenting LGBTQ kids. Through this podcast, speaking, my writing, and the spaces I create, I help people unlearn bias, embrace their full humanity, and grow their capacity for courageous connection.

For parents, allies, and those pioneering a way to lead with love and kindness, I’m here with true, messy, and heartwarming stories, real tools, and grounding support to help you move from fear to fierce, informed action.

Whether you’re listening in, working with me directly, or quietly taking it all in, I see you. And I’m so glad you’re on this journey with me.

More Human. More Kind. formerly Just Breathe: Parenting Your LGBTQ Teen is a safe and supportive podcast in a heartfelt and empowering space where a mom and advocate offers the wisdom of lived experience and practical guidance and education to parents and allies, teaching empathy, kindness, love, and strong boundaries while supporting LGBTQ teens and the diverse LGBTQ community, including gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans, transgender, and queer individuals, through conversations about mental health, grief, gender identity, sexual orientation, human rights, social justice, parenting, parent support, and meaningful LGBTQ allyship and allyship in action.

What if one small question could completely change how you experience your life starting today?

Most of us have been conditioned to seek answers, direction, and validation outside ourselves. But what if the real breakthroughs come from within? In this powerful episode, Heather McGuire shares how she transformed anxiety, self-doubt, and burnout into peace, purpose, and connection through tiny, intentional shifts in perspective.

• Discover the “magic wand” mindset questions that instantly create space and clarity.
• Learn how to rebuild your relationship with self-trust through practical, compassionate tools.
• Hear inspiring real-life stories of transformation from Heather’s clients and her own personal journey.

Listen now to uncover how small shifts in your inner world can unlock real miracles in your outer life.

Connect with Heather Maguire:

https://www.instagram.com/unconventional_intuitive/

https://www.facebook.com/UnconventionalIntuitive/

The Miracles Club: https://unconventionalintuitive.myflodesk.com/miraclesclub

Website: https://unconventionalintuitive.com/

Hi, I’m Heather Hester, and I’m so glad you’re here!

Feeling uncertain or overwhelmed? Stay informed - visit my website

Join the Conversation on Substack

Read my book, Parenting with Pride.

Support the Show - Learn more here!

Watch on YouTube

Listen * Share * Review *NEW* episodes every Tuesday and Friday!

This is a place to feel messy while you're figuring it out.

At the heart of my work is a deep commitment to compassion, authenticity, and transformative allyship, especially for those navigating the complexities of parenting LGBTQ kids. Through this podcast, speaking, my writing, and the spaces I create, I help people unlearn bias, embrace their full humanity, and grow their capacity for courageous connection.

For parents, allies, and those pioneering a way to lead with love and kindness, I’m here with true, messy, and heartwarming stories, real tools, and grounding support to help you move from fear to fierce, informed action.

Whether you’re listening in, working with me directly, or quietly taking it all in, I see you. And I’m so glad you’re on this journey with me.

More Human. More Kind. formerly Just Breathe: Parenting Your LGBTQ Teen is a safe and supportive podcast in a heartfelt and empowering space where a mom and advocate offers the wisdom of lived experience and practical guidance and education to parents and allies, teaching empathy, kindness, love, and strong boundaries while supporting LGBTQ teens and the diverse LGBTQ community, including gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans, transgender, and queer individuals, through conversations about mental health, grief, gender identity, sexual orientation, human rights, social justice, parenting, parent support, and meaningful LGBTQ allyship and allyship in action.

What if being seen, truly seen, was both the most courageous and most healing thing you could do?

In this episode, we dive into the layered journey of visibility for LGBTQ+ individuals and their families. Whether you're navigating your own experience or standing beside someone you love, you'll hear honest reflections on grief, pride, advocacy, and the transformative power of being fully present in who you are. This episode is for anyone who's ever felt both the fear and the freedom of being visible.

• Learn how to hold space for both grief and joy as your child and you grow into more authentic versions of yourselves.
• Discover how visibility, even in quiet or uncertain ways, becomes a powerful act of advocacy and love.
• Gain clarity on essential LGBTQ+ terms like sexual orientation and gender identity, and how they shape real human experiences.

Hit play to explore the messy, beautiful truth about visibility, and why your voice, your presence, and your journey deeply matter.

Hi, I’m Heather Hester, and I’m so glad you’re here!

Feeling uncertain or overwhelmed? Stay informed - visit my website

Join the Conversation on Substack

Read my book, Parenting with Pride.

Support the Show - Learn more here!

Watch on YouTube

Listen * Share * Review *NEW* episodes every Tuesday and Friday!

This is a place to feel messy while you're figuring it out.

At the heart of my work is a deep commitment to compassion, authenticity, and transformative allyship, especially for those navigating the complexities of parenting LGBTQ kids. Through this podcast, speaking, my writing, and the spaces I create, I help people unlearn bias, embrace their full humanity, and grow their capacity for courageous connection.

For parents, allies, and those pioneering a way to lead with love and kindness, I’m here with true, messy, and heartwarming stories, real tools, and grounding support to help you move from fear to fierce, informed action.

Whether you’re listening in, working with me directly, or quietly taking it all in, I see you. And I’m so glad you’re on this journey with me.

More Human. More Kind. formerly Just Breathe: Parenting Your LGBTQ Teen is a safe and supportive podcast in a heartfelt and empowering space where a mom and advocate offers the wisdom of lived experience and practical guidance and education to parents and allies, teaching empathy, kindness, love, and strong boundaries while supporting LGBTQ teens and the diverse LGBTQ community, including gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans, transgender, and queer individuals, through conversations about mental health, grief, gender identity, sexual orientation, human rights, social justice, parenting, parent support, and meaningful LGBTQ allyship and allyship in action.

What if affirming your child isn’t the final step, but the first in a much deeper journey?

In this heartfelt episode, we explore the often unseen difference between accepting your LGBTQ+ child and fully unlearning the beliefs that shaped your understanding of love, identity, and parenting. If you've ever wrestled with reconciling your values with the legacy of what you were taught, this conversation is a path to deeper clarity, connection, and authenticity.

1. Understand the emotional and spiritual layers of unlearning inherited beliefs to parent with truth and courage.
2. Discover practical, soul-nourishing tools to align with your values and show up fully for your child and yourself.
3. Learn how everyday advocacy can transform fear into purpose and create a more just, inclusive world for all kids.

Press play to hear a deeply personal story that will challenge, inspire, and empower you to parent from a place of alignment, liberation, and fierce love.

Hi, I’m Heather Hester, and I’m so glad you’re here!

Feeling uncertain or overwhelmed? Stay informed - visit my website

Join the Conversation on Substack

Read my book, Parenting with Pride.

Support the Show - Learn more here!

Watch on YouTube

Listen * Share * Review *NEW* episodes every Tuesday and Friday!

This is a place to feel messy while you're figuring it out.

At the heart of my work is a deep commitment to compassion, authenticity, and transformative allyship, especially for those navigating the complexities of parenting LGBTQ kids. Through this podcast, speaking, my writing, and the spaces I create, I help people unlearn bias, embrace their full humanity, and grow their capacity for courageous connection.

For parents, allies, and those pioneering a way to lead with love and kindness, I’m here with true, messy, and heartwarming stories, real tools, and grounding support to help you move from fear to fierce, informed action.

Whether you’re listening in, working with me directly, or quietly taking it all in, I see you. And I’m so glad you’re on this journey with me.

More Human. More Kind. formerly Just Breathe: Parenting Your LGBTQ Teen is a safe and supportive podcast in a heartfelt and empowering space where a mom and advocate offers the wisdom of lived experience and practical guidance and education to parents and allies, teaching empathy, kindness, love, and strong boundaries while supporting LGBTQ teens and the diverse LGBTQ community, including gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans, transgender, and queer individuals, through conversations about mental health, grief, gender identity, sexual orientation, human rights, social justice, parenting, parent support, and meaningful LGBTQ allyship and allyship in action.

Pride Month Series | More Human. More Kind. with Heather Hester

What if the words you say in a single moment could shape your child’s inner voice for a lifetime?

Whether you're a parent, ally, or someone striving to lead with compassion in a polarized world, understanding how language—spoken and unspoken—impacts our LGBTQ+ loved ones is crucial. This episode explores how your reactions, tone, and body language can either nurture connection or deepen divides.

In this episode you will:

• Discover how to transform missteps into deeper trust and healing with your child.
• Learn the powerful role of tone, body language, and energy in affirming identity and creating safety.
• Get clear, compassionate answers to the complex question: Is it okay to use the word “queer”?

Press play now to learn how you can use language as a bridge—not a barrier—in your journey toward more human, more kind parenting.

Hi, I’m Heather Hester, and I’m so glad you’re here!

Feeling uncertain or overwhelmed? Stay informed - visit my website

Join the Conversation on Substack

Read my book, Parenting with Pride.

Support the Show - Learn more here!

Watch on YouTube

Listen * Share * Review *NEW* episodes every Tuesday and Friday!

This is a place to feel messy while you're figuring it out.

At the heart of my work is a deep commitment to compassion, authenticity, and transformative allyship, especially for those navigating the complexities of parenting LGBTQ kids. Through this podcast, speaking, my writing, and the spaces I create, I help people unlearn bias, embrace their full humanity, and grow their capacity for courageous connection.

For parents, allies, and those pioneering a way to lead with love and kindness, I’m here with true, messy, and heartwarming stories, real tools, and grounding support to help you move from fear to fierce, informed action.

Whether you’re listening in, working with me directly, or quietly taking it all in, I see you. And I’m so glad you’re on this journey with me.

More Human. More Kind. formerly Just Breathe: Parenting Your LGBTQ Teen is a safe and supportive podcast in a heartfelt and empowering space where a mom and advocate offers the wisdom of lived experience and practical guidance and education to parents and allies, teaching empathy, kindness, love, and strong boundaries while supporting LGBTQ teens and the diverse LGBTQ community, including gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans, transgender, and queer individuals, through conversations about mental health, grief, gender identity, sexual orientation, human rights, social justice, parenting, parent support, and meaningful LGBTQ allyship and allyship in action.

Pride Month Series | More Human. More Kind. with Heather Hester

Are you worried about saying the wrong thing to your LGBTQ child or holding back your support until you “get it right”?

In this deeply honest episode, Heather Hester explores one of the biggest blocks parents and allies face: perfectionism. She shares her own journey of fumbling, learning, and ultimately showing up imperfectly but wholeheartedly for her LGBTQ kids. If you’ve ever felt paralyzed by the fear of messing up, this episode offers both comfort and guidance.

• Discover why perfectionism is a barrier to true allyship and how to release it
• Learn how modeling vulnerability can build trust and healing with your child
• Gain clarity on the meaning and evolution of the LGBTQ+ acronym and why it matters

Hit play now to hear how letting go of “getting it right” can lead to deeper connection, stronger allyship, and a more courageous version of yourself.

Plus: a listener “Queer-y” on the evolution of LGBTQ+ terminology, and why the order of the letters actually matters.

Three Key Takeaways:

1. Let go of the need to be perfect. You’ll never know everything, and that’s okay.
2. Allyship is a practice. Keep showing up, especially when it’s uncomfortable.
3. Model repair and growth. Your child learns how to be human by watching you be human.

More Human. More Kind. formerly Just Breathe: Parenting Your LGBTQ Teen is a safe and supportive podcast in a heartfelt and empowering space where a mom and advocate offers the wisdom of lived experience and practical guidance and education to parents and allies, teaching empathy, kindness, love, and strong boundaries while supporting LGBTQ teens and the diverse LGBTQ community, including gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans, transgender, and queer individuals, through conversations about mental health, grief, gender identity, sexual orientation, human rights, social justice, parenting, parent support, and meaningful LGBTQ allyship and allyship in action.

Hi, I’m Heather Hester, and I’m so glad you’re here!

Feeling uncertain or overwhelmed? Stay informed - visit my website

Join the Conversation on Substack

Read my book, Parenting with Pride.

Support the Show - Learn more here!

Watch on YouTube

Listen * Share * Review *NEW* episodes every Tuesday and Friday!

This is a place to feel messy while you're figuring it out.

At the heart of my work is a deep commitment to compassion, authenticity, and transformative allyship, especially for those navigating the complexities of parenting LGBTQ kids. Through this podcast, speaking, my writing, and the spaces I create, I help people unlearn bias, embrace their full humanity, and grow their capacity for courageous connection.

For parents, allies, and those pioneering a way to lead with love and kindness, I’m here with true, messy, and heartwarming stories, real tools, and grounding support to help you move from fear to fierce, informed action.

Whether you’re listening in, working with me directly, or quietly taking it all in, I see you. And I’m so glad you’re on this journey with me.