Most families look forward to holiday gatherings and catching up with loved ones, but those same circumstances can be a source of stress for LGBTQ+ youth.
"When you may have been out in the world, living your honest truth, and then coming home, trying to figure out what that looks like in a situation where you don't know how it could be received is a scary thing," said Tamara Leigh, Director of Communications for Out Alliance in Rochester.
For transgender youth and their immediate family, seeing extended family can be difficult. Leigh encourages parents to ask questions before those relatives arrive.
"'What is your pronoun? How would you like us to address you? If Grandma and Grandpa come home, what can I tell them before they get here to make sure that they react to you in a way that is comfortable for you?'" said Leigh.
Lundon Knight, 17, who identifies as bisexual, advises for teens to be honest with themselves, but to make sure to choose a coming out process that is comfortable regardless of expectations.
"Find that comfort zone and find that right moment to make your embarkment on who you are," said Knight.
Leigh's advises parents to shower their LGBTQ+ child with love.
"Just letting them know that that's your child and that they are loved and accepted and that's home to them, I think that would make all the difference in the world to just about anybody," said Leigh.