Questioning Your Daughter's Sexual Preference
When you start to notice some significant changes in your daughter's appearance and personal expression you may very well start to wonder if you're seeing signs that she could be gay. It's not unusual for parents to notice changes and make assumptions based on social norms. Sometimes you are seeing signs and sometimes you are just looking at a new stage that won't last forever.
Just because she doesn't take a shine to a beautiful crystal necklace that would have been perfect for her three years ago doesn't mean that she has turned some corner on her sexuality. Rather, it could be an innocent desire to scale down and become more natural. Don't leap to conclusions too readily.
There are also many girls sweatshirts and tee shirts on the market today that are very pro girl power. These shirts can be confusing for a parent that isn't aware of their commonality. It's not a sure sign of homosexuality just because your daughter is sporting a sweatshirt that praises her gender. These shirts are really about lifting the female self esteem.
Jewelry sets are not on every girl's list of favorites. Often little girls who dress up grow into young women who prefer to simplify. If she is leaning toward boy clothes she is more likely to be suffering from a body image problem. Many times, unless the change is overtly obvious, girls of a feminine nature are just as likely to turn out to be gay.
Girls that display boy tendencies are not necessarily gay. Often the most feminine girls end up being the ones with a same sex preference. It can be almost impossible for a parent to be sure without actually having that uncomfortable moment when they ask their daughter the question.
If you are prepared for the potential to hear what you may not want to hear, it's a good idea to start talking about it as early as possible. Allowing your daughter the freedom to come out to you and still be loved can be the one thing that prevents future drug or alcohol abuse, as well as self abuse. Believing that you'll hate her will push her toward self harm more often than not.
Even if you've always considered yourself to be open minded you might find that having a gay daughter is harder to accept. Once you see her with her first girlfriend you might find that your feelings are strong. Remember that she is not trying to disappoint you and that she doesn't have a choice in how she feels. You also, don't have a choice in how she chooses to express her sexuality. You can either harm her or love her through the potentially difficult stage.
