NYMC Faculty Publications

"Whenever You're Ready to Talk About It": Prompts and Barriers to Inclusive Family Sex Communication With Gay, Bisexual, and Queer Sons

Author Type(s)

Faculty

DOI

10.1080/15546128.2022.2141935

Journal Title

American Journal of Sexuality Education

First Page

569

Last Page

593

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2023

Department

Public Health

Abstract

Despite growing evidence that parent-child sex communication (PCSC) is a positive strategy for adolescent sexual health outcomes, there is little research about what prompts and impedes these conversations among parents of gay, bisexual, and queer (GBQ) adolescent sons. Using interview data from a multi-method qualitative study, we analyzed parental perspectives (N=15) on non-heteronormative sex communication with GBQ adolescent sons. Our results revealed that parents are most likely to engage in sex communication if they established open communication with their child, accepted their child's sexual orientation, encouraged safe sex practices, and were knowledgeable about LGBTQ issues. Conversely, parents who experience communication discomfort were unable to engage in inclusive and comprehensive sex conversations, thus creating a barrier to effective sex-positive communication. These findings have implications for future research and interventions that promote parents' ability to successfully facilitate conversations about sexual health with their sexuality diverse children.

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