LGBTQ family members frequently have to face issues of bullying. What are some coping strategies they can use? And what can those who love them do to help?

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A guide to preparing for that critical moment when you let your loved one know that you are LGBTQ. We discuss the concept of metacommunication and how you can prepare the way so that the big moment goes well.

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How do you know when you're ready to come out? What are the benefits of coming out? What are the risks of coming out? What are some things to consider before coming out? In this episode we discuss the most important things you need to consider before you take that big step.

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Whether it is you or a loved one coming out, you can deal with a tremendous sense of loss. Rya shares about the anger she felt in the process. Joe shares the secret of the Lock-Out, a strategy he developed to help him through the most difficult time of his life. This is the third part of Joe and Rya's discussion about grieving through the coming-out process.

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Coming out of the closet brings a newfound freedom. But it can also be accompanied by great loss. Rya tells her story of coming out, and the loss she experienced. Together, she and her dad explore how the first few stages of grieving can affect a person who has decided to come out. They discuss ways to find hope in the midst of the pain of loss.

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What happens when a loved one comes out to you as gay or trans? The person you thought you knew is not the same person. There can be a very real grieving process as you come to terms with who they are. Joe tells his story about accepting Rya when she came out as transgender. They discuss the difficulties the family had in coming to a place of acceptance.

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Rya and Joe discuss the difficulties in accepting our LGBTQ family members and friends, and then look at seven ways we can each demonstrate unconditional acceptance in order to affirm our relationships.

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Joe recounts the surprising decision of a girl in a leper colony, drawing parallels with how to respond when LGBTQ family members come out.

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Transitioning is not just a physical journey, but an emotional one that can reshape lives in unexpected ways. In the first episode of Trandescendant, Rya opens up to her father Joe about her experience with the emotional and physical challenges of going through a second puberty, as well as the heartbreak of ending her marriage and feeling like she had lost everything in the process. It’s an conversation about love, loss, and family through the lens of gender transition. 
 
This episode was remastered in November 2024.

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