Each year a number of brave men and women will sit down and tell their parents that they are gay. By the time they tell their parents they will have lived with this knowledge for some time. It is the parents who have often only a split second to react.
'My Child is Gay' is a compilation of letters written by parents who have a gay or lesbian child. The letters have been written to be shared - to help parents cope and come to terms with their feelings, as well as assist gay men and women who are contemplating sharing the truth.
Few parents are accepting from the start and many feel perplexed. They are unsure where to turn to for help and how to cope with their feelings of grief and loss. Here the parents talk about how they dealt with the many emotions they experienced - anger, embarrassment, guilt and confusion.
Together these letters reaffirm the regenerative power of love and allow those with first-hand experience to outline the important steps on the road to understanding. 'My Child is Gay' shows how ordinary families have found love and happiness again.