Unconditional: A Guide to Loving and Supporting Your LGBTQ Child

Winner of the Sixth Annual Bisexual Book Award for Non-fiction, 2017

#1 Bestseller in Lesbian Studies

Unconditional is a parenting guide book that provides parents of an LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning) child with a framework for helping their LGBT child navigate a world that isn’t always welcoming. 

Tips from a mother with experience. In Unconditional, author Telaina Eriksen, a professor at Michigan State University, explains what she and her husband have learned through the experience of parenting a gay child. She covers topics like how to handle kids coming out, being an advocate for LGBTQ+ children, how to help your child deal with stress unique to LGBTQ+ kids, and finding a LGBTQ+ family. This book is a must read for anyone who thinks their child is transgender or otherwise LGBTQ+.

A guide for supporting your LGBT child. What if my child is transgender? Eriksen covers the science of gender, understanding gender dysphoria, and how to help a transgender child through the stages of development. What if I have more general LGBTQ+ family needs? Throughout the book, both parents and kids share their stories, and Eriksen directs parents to various resources online for help. This LGBT family book teaches the principles of unconditional parenting, love, and learning.

Inside, learn:

• How to advocate for policies that protect your child
• Ways to educate well-meaning, but misguided friends or family
• Strategies keep your kid talking if your child is transgender or LGBTQ+
• Signs of unhealthy relationships
• When to consider therapy for your child or your family
• How to find an LGBTQ+ community (including inclusive churches)

If you liked LGBT books, best sellers like The Gender Identity Guide for Parents, The Savvy Ally, or The End of Gender, you’ll love Unconditional.

That moment of being verbally harassed by my teacher still haunts me, and it randomly pops back up in my memories every couple of years. But then so does the memory of my mom standing up for me: Telling me that she loved me, and that her love was unconditional.

Things changed for me then. I was more confident, and I learned to stand up for myself. I started a Gay-Straight Alliance at my school and participated in fundraising activities like the AIDS Walk. I graduated high school and became the first in my family to go to college and get a degree. Fast-forward a few years: I became a Chapter Leader for Marriage Equality USA, leading rallies and marches in the fight for marriage equality. I grew up into an adult who was able to stand up for myself and for others—all because I had a parent who stood up for me. A parent who supported me. A parent who loved me. And you can be that parent to your child, too. I know that’s what you want, because you’re reading this book.

Unconditional is filled with tips and advice on how to support your child through various scenarios, from helping them find a supportive community to becoming their greatest advocate. It also includes an abundance of personal stories from parents and children who had challenges of their own.It’s a wonderful resource that will help you support and guide your child to become the best human being they can possibly be.

–Excerpt from Eric Rosswood's foreword