#174 | Why Niceness Isn’t Enough: Choosing Kindness, Courage & Allyship in a World That Needs All Three

More Human More Kind: Guidance for Parenting LGBTQ+ Teens & Growing Into a Courageous Ally

Can kindness be disruptive—and even radical? 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.

What You Will Learn:

• 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!

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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 foster courageous, compassionate connection.

If you’re in the thick of parenting, allyship, or pioneering a way to lead with love and kindness, I’m here with true, messy, and heart-warming 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 part of this journey.

More Human. More Kind. formerly Just Breathe: Parenting Your LGBTQ Teen is a safe and supportive space where a mom and mental health advocate offers guidance on parenting with empathy, inclusion, love, and open-minded allyship, fostering growth, healing, connection, and empowerment within the LGBTQ community while addressing grief, boundaries, education, diversity, human rights, social justice, and the power of human kindness through a lens of ally support and community engagement.

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