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PODCAST

More Human. More Kind. | Parenting LGBTQ Kids, Unlearning Fear, Becoming More Human

Heather Hester | Advocate for Parents of LGBTQ Teens

"Mom, I think I might be_____." Whether that sentence ended in gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, or something they"re still figuring out — you are in the right place. Maybe you"re scared. Maybe you"re grieving something you can"t quite name yet. Maybe you"re desperate to get this right and terrified that you"ve already gotten it wrong. This show is for you, exactly where you are right now. More Human. More Kind. is hosted by Heather Hester, author of Parenting with Pride and a fierce

kids & family parenting

All Episodes

10:33

Parents, Love Is Not What You Feel. It's What They...

More Human. More Kind. | Parenting LGBTQ Kids,... ·

2026/06/19

Join me on Substack for deeper conversations (and extra tools and reflections for paid subscribers!)You already love your child deeply. But love that lives only inside you is invisible to the person who needs it most.In this Friday Reset, Heather offers one small, powerful shift: moving from loving to demonstrating. For parents of LGBTQ+ kids, the difference between feeling love and making that love visible can be the difference between a child who wonders and a child who knows. Through a word of

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17:28

What Is Love, Actually? (And Does Your LGBTQ Child...

More Human. More Kind. | Parenting LGBTQ Kids,... ·

2026/06/16

Be part of a private community filled with parents just like you! Learn more about the Kindred Collective.You love your LGBTQ+ child. But does your child actually feel that love? And if there's a gap between the two, what does it cost them?In this episode, Heather explores the difference between loving your child and your child feeling loved. Research tells us that felt family acceptance is one of the strongest protective factors for LGBTQ+ youth mental health. But acceptance isn't just a position

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12:16

Quiet Allyship: Parenting Guidance for When Your...

More Human. More Kind. | Parenting LGBTQ Kids,... ·

2026/06/12

Learn more about the Kindred Collective - a private community for parents of LGBTQ kidsYour LGBTQ teen trusted you before they trusted the world. But what happens when parent allyship has to stay quiet?When your queer or gay teen is only out to a small circle, you're doing the emotional work of affirming parenting without any of the visibility. This episode is parenting guidance for that specific loneliness: how to be a true ally and coming out support system for your child while honoring their

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11:06

You Love Your LGBTQ Child—But Are You Being an Ally?

More Human. More Kind. | Parenting LGBTQ Kids,... ·

2026/06/09

Be part of a community of parents just like you!As parents of LGBTQ teens, most of us want our children to feel loved, accepted, and supported. But what if there’s a difference between being a supportive parent and practicing true allyship?In this episode, Heather explores the important distinction between private support and active LGBTQ allyship. While creating a safe and affirming home environment is essential, LGBTQ teens are also paying attention to how parents respond beyond the walls of their

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12:47

The Hardest Pride Conversations Aren’t With Your...

More Human. More Kind. | Parenting LGBTQ Kids,... ·

2026/06/05

Learn more about the Kindred Collective CommunityWhat happens when parents have different comfort levels, beliefs, or timelines around Pride and LGBTQ support?For many parents of LGBTQ teens, Pride season can bring underlying family tensions to the surface. One parent may be ready to advocate, celebrate, and show visible support, while the other may still be processing fear, confusion, grief, or uncertainty. In this episode, Heather explores how these differences affect LGBTQ teens, why children

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18:38

The Ultimate Pride Checklist for Parents of LGBTQ Teens

More Human. More Kind. | Parenting LGBTQ Kids,... ·

2026/06/03

Learn more about the Kindred Collective CommunityAre you wondering how to help your LGBTQ teen enjoy Pride safely without turning every conversation into a lecture?Pride events can be joyful, affirming, and life-changing for LGBTQ teens, but they can also be overwhelming, emotional, crowded, and unpredictable. Many parents want to support their child’s experience while also making sure they’re prepared and safe. In this episode, Heather shares practical Pride checklists for preteens, teens, and

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14:22

Helping LGBTQ Kids Stay Safe At Pride Events (Without...

More Human. More Kind. | Parenting LGBTQ Kids,... ·

2026/06/02

Learn more about the Kindred Collective CommunityHow do you talk to your LGBTQ teen about staying safe at Pride events without making them afraid to attend?Many parents want their LGBTQ teens to experience the joy, connection, and belonging that Pride offers, but also worry about safety, visibility, and the realities of today’s world. In this episode, Heather shares practical guidance for having calm, age-appropriate safety conversations that empower LGBTQ teens rather than overwhelm them. You'll

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10:04

What Happens When You Stop Abandoning Yourself | For...

More Human. More Kind. | Parenting LGBTQ Kids,... ·

2026/05/29

Join me on Substack for more tools to stay human in a complicated world. What if the exhaustion you feel has less to do with who you are and more to do with how long you’ve been pretending?In this Friday Reset: The Butterfly Effect, Heather reflects on her powerful conversation with Stef Vachon and explores what happens when survival mode slowly disconnects us from our authentic selves.So many people learn early that being fully themselves feels unsafe.We shape-shift.We perform.We shrink.We

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11:09

Before Pride Month Starts, Have This Conversation...

More Human. More Kind. | Parenting LGBTQ Kids,... ·

2026/05/28

Learn about The Kindred CollectiveBefore you hang the Pride flag or post your support online, have you asked your LGBTQ teen what actually feels supportive to them?Many loving parents and allies want to celebrate their LGBTQ child openly during Pride Month, but visible support can feel empowering for some LGBTQ teens and overwhelming for others. In this episode, Heather explores the importance of emotional attunement, collaborative conversations, and respecting a child’s comfort level around

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36:59

Beyond Survival: Queer Healing, Fatherhood, and...

More Human. More Kind. | Parenting LGBTQ Kids,... ·

2026/05/26

What happens when someone spends decades surviving instead of truly living?In this deeply moving conversation, Heather sits down with queer figure skater, advocate, father, and podcast host Stef Vachon to talk about shame, bullying, identity, healing, and what it means to finally come home to yourself.Growing up in a small French Canadian town in the 1970s and 80s, Stef endured relentless homophobia, isolation, and abuse while pursuing competitive figure skating. By 17, after reaching Nationals in

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11:14

How to Reconnect After a Hard Conversation With Your...

More Human. More Kind. | Parenting LGBTQ Kids,... ·

2026/05/22

Download Panic to Plan HereWhat if you already got it wrong with your child… or you’re terrified you’ll say the wrong thing next?In this episode of More Human. More Kind., Heather Hester explores two of the biggest fears parents face when supporting LGBTQ+ or questioning teens:“I think I already messed this up.”“What if I say the wrong thing?”You’ll learn why fear often creates distance in parent-child relationships, how repair rebuilds trust, and why connection matters more than perfect

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12:36

"What If I Say the Wrong Thing?" When Fear Takes Over...

More Human. More Kind. | Parenting LGBTQ Kids,... ·

2026/05/19

Download Panic to Plan HereWhat if you already got it wrong with your child or you’re terrified you’ll say the wrong thing?In this episode of More Human. More Kind., Heather Hester explores two of the biggest fears parents face when supporting LGBTQ+ or questioning teens:“I think I already messed this up.”“What if I say the wrong thing?”You’ll learn why fear often creates distance in parent-child relationships, how repair rebuilds trust, and why connection matters more than perfect parenting.This

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13:13

Parents and Allies, This is The Sentence That Breaks...

More Human. More Kind. | Parenting LGBTQ Kids,... ·

2026/05/15

Join me on Substack for more tools to stay human in a complicated world. What if the most powerful way to support your LGBTQ child isn’t a perfect response, but one honest sentence?In this episode, Heather Hester explores how silence becomes a generational pattern inside families, why speaking up can feel so hard, and how small moments of courage create emotional safety for LGBTQ youth.You’ll learn:why silence is not neutralhow shame and family patterns shape communicationpractical scripts for hard

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25:20

The Silence of Shame: Breaking Generational Patterns...

More Human. More Kind. | Parenting LGBTQ Kids,... ·

2026/05/12

Join me on Substack for more tools to stay human in a complicated world. What if the most painful message a child receives is never spoken out loud?In this deeply personal and research-backed episode, Heather Hester explores the silence of shame: the unspoken family patterns that teach children what is safe to say, what parts of themselves are welcome, and what may cost them belonging.Many parents do not intentionally pass down shame.They pass down what was passed down to them:avoiding hard

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09:05

Why Speaking Up Feels So Hard For Parents of Gay and...

More Human. More Kind. | Parenting LGBTQ Kids,... ·

2026/05/08

Join me on Substack for more tools to stay human in a complicated world. What happens when someone misgenders your child and you freeze?In this Friday Reset: The Butterfly Effect episode, Heather Hester gently explores the quiet moments where parents hesitate to speak up for their LGBTQ+ child.The family dinner.The classroom conversation.The passing comment that catches you off guard.You love your child deeply. But in the moment, conflict feels uncomfortable, your nervous system takes over, and

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06:56

The Cost of Staying Quiet When Your Trans Child Is...

More Human. More Kind. | Parenting LGBTQ Kids,... ·

2026/05/05

Are you an overwhelmed mom of a gay, lesbian, transgender, or queer teen who's feeling lost trying to navigate the coming out process, and wants to let go of shame and embarrassment, as well as build a deeper connection of trust within yourself and your teen? Click here to learn how to work with me 1-1.What happens in the moment when someone misgenders your child and you don’t speak up?In this episode, Heather Hester explores one of the most common (and least talked about) experiences for parents of

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06:40

How Parents and LGBTQ Allies Stay Grounded After...

More Human. More Kind. | Parenting LGBTQ Kids,... ·

2026/05/01

Join me on Substack for more tools to stay human in a complicated world.Have you ever handled a difficult conversation well and still couldn’t shake the feeling afterward?In this Friday Reset episode of More Human. More Kind., Heather Hester offers a grounding space for parents of gay and lesbian kids, allies, and anyone navigating emotionally charged conversations.After a hard interaction, whether it’s a text, email, or comment that didn’t sit right, it’s common to replay the moment, second-guess

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11:05

When Friendship and Values Collide: A Guide for...

More Human. More Kind. | Parenting LGBTQ Kids,... ·

2026/04/28

Join me on Substack for more tools to stay human in a complicated world. Have you ever received a message that made your stomach drop, and left you unsure how to respond without hurting the relationship or abandoning yourself?In this episode of More Human. More Kind., Heather Hester speaks directly to parents, LGBTQ allies, and families navigating complex conversations in today’s world.When someone you care about sends a message that feels misaligned, harmful, or charged, especially around identity,

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08:17

When Fear Gets Loud, How Do You Parent?

More Human. More Kind. | Parenting LGBTQ Kids,... ·

2026/04/24

Join me on Substack for more tools to stay human in a complicated world. What if one small shift in how you respond to your child could change how safe they feel with you?After this week’s conversation about fear and how it shows up in our parenting, this Friday Reset offers something simple, but powerful.Most of us don’t need more information, we need something we can actually do in the moment.A way to stay grounded even when fear is present.In this short, reflective episode, you’ll find:A simple

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09:30

Parents, You Meant Love. They Heard Something Else....

More Human. More Kind. | Parenting LGBTQ Kids,... ·

2026/04/21

Are you an overwhelmed mom of a gay or lesbian teen who's feeling lost trying to navigate the coming out process, and wants to let go of shame and embarrassment, as well as build a deeper connection of trust within yourself and your teen? Click here to learn how to work with me 1-1.Have you ever said, “I just don’t want you to have a hard life,” and meant it with every ounce of love you have?When your child shares something about their identity, your instinct isn’t rejection, it’s protection. Your

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310 results

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