Thanksgiving and Christmas can be very stressful times of the year, especially for LGBTQ+ folk. In 2020, we’ve been presented with a lot of challenges this year with the election, COVID-19 and racial injustice. A lot of people are facing many things and we want you to know that there are resources that you can be aware of.

Here are some tips below:

Friends you can Call/Text

Have a list of people that you can call on if you’re feeling lonely and need some time from the people you’re regularly with.

Set Boundaries

The first thing to remember is to take care of yourself. Remember that you can set up whatever rules you want for yourself. If you don’t want to attend the annual family get togethers with your uncle, you don’t have to. You can even just plan to come to the family dinner in the evening and that’s it. You do not have to feel guilty in not doing anything else that you don’t feel comfortable doing.

Chosen Family

Many folks in the LGBTQ+ community have chosen their family through a variety of ways. This includes school, work, extra-curricular activities, etc. Whether it’s 1 or 20 people, you can celebrate the holidays on a positive note with the family you’ve chosen. Not only that, these people need to be open and supportive of your choices.

 

These tips are only just the beginning and there are many more resources for you to reference. Below are some websites that you can read on additional details on getting through the holidays.

If you have any questions, please feel free to tweet at us @TransWellBeing or on Facebook.

https://www.queertheology.com/queer-holiday-tips/

https://pflag.org/blog/pflagstipsholidays