A December 2008 study done by researchers at San Francisco State University and published in the journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, confirmed something obvious but important: gay teens whose parents accept their sexual orientation grow up happier and healthier. They are less likely to do drugs, be depressed or attempt suicide than those with parents who react badly to their news.
According to the study:"Teens who experienced negative feedback were more than eight times as likely to have attempted suicide, nearly six times as vulnerable to severe depression and more than three times at risk of drug use...One of the most startling findings was that being forbidden to associate with gay peers was as damaging as being physically beaten or verbally abused by their parents..."
You can read more about the study at the Family Acceptance website.
Though this study might seem like a no brainer to a lot of you, it is always important to have science back you up.
Parents sometimes think they can make a child straight through counseling, hostility towards being gay or by punishing a kid for their sexual orientation. Many truly don't realize just how damaging such actions can be!
