Monday, September 18, 2006

What do I tell her?

All advice is welcome. I'll be sure to pass it on to her.

My sister has recently put me in touch with a very sweet young woman, who is about 20 years old. She is currently a junior in college and is dating her high school sweetheart, a girl. Her parents are Christian fundamentalists. She has been sent to an ex-gay thing already and has tried to be straight. She wants to come out to her parents now. She runs the risk, by doing so, of being taken out of college or being shipped off to bible college away from her girl. She is financially dependent on her family still. When she is home (she goes to school about two hours from home), her parents keep her away from her girl at all costs, as in only letting her see her when there is a huge group of people present. They're pretty heavily in control of her life, it seems. They know her girl is gay and think being gay is catching. What on earth should I tell this girl? Do you know of any resources that could help her?

2 comments:

Mike Airhart said...

This woman clearly needs to establish financial independence from her family, by one means or another.

Establishing financial independence might mean working or obtaining college loans or scholarships (there are groups that aid students from antigay families) -- or keeping quiet until graduation. Has she talked to any professional counselors about her financial and family issues?

At 20, she cannot legally be forced to do anything by her parents, but it sounds as though, either financially or emotionally, she is allowing her parents to control her.

LadyKate said...

What Mike said. Also, does her college have a GBLT support group?