WHO WE TALKED TO
We spoke with Marion and Rachel and they shared their experiences of raising a gay son and a transgender daughter, respectively. In this webinar from the Okayest Moms Summer Series. Both Marion and Rachel were raised in a conservative faith community and are from the organization Mama Dragons. The organization works to bridge the gap and offer support for to mothers of the conservative faith community and who have children who have come out.
Marion is the mother of a gay son and is the Community Education Lead on the Mama Dragon Senior Leadership team. The community education team is currently developing training modules for adults who work with children in the community and school, creating awareness for ensuring that our precious LGBTQ+ children are loved and affirmed, ultimately reducing the devastating high rate of LGBTQ+ teen suicides.
Rachel is the mother of a transgender daughter. She now volunteers her time as an administrator for the subgroup of Mama Dragons specifically for moms of transgender, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming children. She is also active in her local community as a support to parents of LGBTQ+ kids, especially those from conservative faith backgrounds.
We feel so incredibly lucky to have had Marion and Rachel join us. We’re grateful to them for sharing their stories, and to their children for allowing them to share their stories. They are doing such important work and they were recently feature in Oprah Magazine for all that they are doing for the LGBTQ+ community.
WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT
Rachel and Marion both shared their stories of when their children came out, and the ways they found support for their children. They also shared how they found Mama Dragons, and how the support they have found within the community has made an impact on them personally. They both are now very active in the organization and are serving as support systems for other mothers who are in similar situations.
We also discussed what the acronym stands for, some common vocabulary used, ways to be an ally, and some practical advice for mothers who find themselves in similar situations.
Their strength and love for their children radiates from them both, and we couldn’t be prouder of the work they are doing. You can follow them on Instagram and Facebook. They also have a closed group for those needed support. There are also other niche groups, which you can be referred to once you’ve joined the main group. Mama Dragons also has a wealth of resources about the community (both faith based and secular and for LGBTQ+ individuals, as well as their family members) that you can find here.
THINGS WE MENTIONED
Marion recommended The Family Acceptance Project as another great resource for families of LGBTQ+ youth.
This webinar is a collaboration between us, The Okayest Moms, and Genna Lasko Events. Okayest Moms Summer Series Session 2: Tough Topics- Conversations for Every Family. Each webinar in this week focuses on tough challenges mothers face in their journey. Our intention is to find understanding and gain new perspectives through meaningful conversation, even if the topic is not something you have personally dealt with. We believe empathy fuels community and understanding of our fellow human being.
Did you miss the live broadcast, but wanting to get in on the action now? It’s not too late!! Click here to watch a recording of this live webinar.
OUR PARTNER
Our partner for Session 2 is Thrive Market! Thrive Market is an online marketplace on a mission to make healthy living easy and affordable for everyone. You can shop for thousands of the best-selling organic foods and natural products at up to 30% below traditional retail prices. Checkout the Thrive Market brand products because they are the highest quality ingredients at even more affordable prices. Okayest Moms Summer Series viewers can get an extra 25% off their first order and 30 days free trial membership! Just follow this link to get your discount and trial membership.
You can read more about the Okayest Moms Summer Series and our other amazing experts here.
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