#199 | Three (3) Reasons LGBTQ+ Kids Wait Until College to Come Out - What Parents Can Do to Support

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

Why do so many LGBTQ+ kids wait until college to come out, and what does that mean for the families they leave behind?

In this insightful and compassionate episode, Heather Hester explores why college becomes a powerful turning point for many LGBTQ+ young people and what parents and allies need to understand. From the need for distance and safety to the importance of chosen community, you'll learn how to support your child without making it about you (no judgement or shame on you, we promise!)

• Understand why coming out often begins with identity ownership not rejection of family
• Learn how to respond with curiosity and trust, even when you feel left out
• Discover the most meaningful things you can say and do to support your child from afar

Press play and walk away with the insight, grace, and grounded tools to support your LGBTQ+ child whether they’re just beginning to open up, or finding themselves far from home.

Resource Spotlight

• Stages of Coming Out Episode
• The Trevor Project — A lifeline for LGBTQ+ youth, offering 24/7 crisis support, peer connection, and resources to navigate coming out safely.
• Campus Pride — A national nonprofit that helps students find LGBTQ+-friendly colleges and universities, and works to make campuses safer and more inclusive.
• GLAAD Coming Out Guide — A practical, affirming guide with language, ideas, and steps for young people deciding when and how to come out.
• PFLAG National — The largest organization for parents and families of LGBTQ+ people, with chapters nationwide offering support and education.

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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