Even though, we as a society have come such a long way, there are still many issues LGBT individuals face. There are continual improvements for LGBT people worldwide. Even with society becoming more and more accepting of LGBT individuals, parents of LGBT youth still have their own fears when their children come out.
In speaking with many parents of LGBT youth, discrimination was always at the top of their list of concerns. Discrimination is a very real fear for LGBT individuals and their families. To this day, LGBT individuals are often discriminated against for housing, education, jobs, healthcare, legal protection and even fertility treatments.
Another common fear parents of LGBT individuals shed light on was the fact that they assume that their childrens' lives will be harder. Everyone has their own struggles to deal with. Some people have job troubles, relationship troubles and some even battle serious health issues. Personally, I don't think being gay has made my life harder. There are definitely things that make me nervous because I am gay, but I don't think my life is harder because of it. Employment is always a concern of mine. I am nervous that I will be turned down for a job if a prospective employer Googles me and discovers I am gay. I know doing that is illegal, but it is still a concern of mine.
Lastly, many parents voiced concerns about their children not being able to find love. All parents want their children to be successful and happy. Parents want to see their children fall in love and eventually get married. Even with same sex marriage legal throughout the country, it is often challenging to meet other LGBT people. Even with growing acceptance, LGBT individuals only make up a small percentage of the population.
I love who I am and wouldn't change it for the world. Even though being gay comes with a unique set of challenges, LGBT individuals still have great lives, just the same as their straight counterparts.