More Human More Kind: Guidance for Parenting LGBTQ+ Teens & Growing Into a Courageous Ally
Do you wish you could better support your LGBTQ child? To be an ally who shows up with courage, clarity, and compassion in your family, workplace, and community?
You're not alone. More Human. More Kind. is a twice-weekly podcast supporting concerned parents and allies of LGBTQ+ kids who are ready to move from fear, grief, and confusion to healing, resilience, and empowered advocacy.
Hosted by Heather Hester, author of Parenting with Pride and a fierce advocate for human rights and social justice, each episode blends grounded insights, personal stories, and practical guidance to help you protect what matters, raise brave kids, and spark collective change.
* You'll learn to navigate mental health challenges, set loving boundaries, and find hope and support through the messiness of parenting, allyship, and becoming.
* Whether you're wrestling with bigotry, searching for connection and community, or ready to shift your mindset toward kindness and open-minded action, this show offers the education and encouragement you need.
New episodes drop every Tuesday and Friday, featuring expert interviews, vulnerable Listener Queer-ies, and timely solo episodes that foster growth, empathy, and activism.
Start with fan-favorite Episode 3: Embrace the Messiness of Supporting Your LGBTQ Teen (With Resilience & Hope), an honest conversation that will help you exhale, reflect, and show up more fully and fiercely for the people you love.
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Blubrry - https://create.blubrry.com/resources/about-blubrry/privacy-policy
- Update frequency
- every 8 days
- Average duration
- 35 minutes
- Episodes
- 198
- Years Active
- 2019 - 2025
#197 | Holding Hard Truths in the Wake of Charlie Kirk: Kindness, Free Speech, and the Cost of Dehumanization
How do we hold space for grief, truth, and humanity when someone who had polarizing views is taken by violence?
In moments like these, where headlines are loud and emotions run high, many of us are st…
#196 | Why Gen Z Is Turning to AI for Mental Health—and What Parents Need to Know
Is your teen turning to an AI chatbot when they’re in crisis? Would you even know if they were?
In this eye-opening episode, Heather Hester explores the booming use of AI mental health apps like Woeb…
#195 | Why Small Acts of Kindness Have a Big Mental Health Impact (Especially for LGBTQ+ Kids)
What if one small act of kindness could keep someone - especially an LGBTQ+ youth - from giving up?
In this heartfelt solo episode, Heather Hester unpacks why kindness isn’t just “nice” or “extra.” It…
#194 | Stop Blaming Identity: What Actually Causes LGBTQ+ Mental Health Crises
Have you ever heard someone say LGBTQ+ kids struggle with mental health because of who they are?
In this urgent episode, Heather Hester dismantles one of the most dangerous myths surrounding LGBTQ+ yo…
#193 | What If One Conversation Could Save a Life? Suicide Prevention for LGBTQ+ Youth Starts Here
What if the most life-saving thing you do this week isn’t a therapy appointment or medication, but a single, courageous conversation?
For LGBTQ+ youth, suicide risk remains heartbreakingly high — not …
#192 | Why Setting Boundaries With Non-Affirming Relatives Is Vital for LGBTQ Kids’ Mental Health
Are you heading to a holiday weekend gathering with your LGBTQ child where not everyone is affirming and you're wondering how to protect their well-being without creating more tension?
For many famili…
#191 | Why “Tolerated” Isn’t Enough: How to Parent for True LGBTQ+ Affirmation
Do you think you're doing the right thing for your LGBTQ+ child, but still feel like you're fumbling through it alone?
In this deeply honest and empowering episode, Heather Hester is joined by author …
#190 | Raising Kind Kids: What LGBTQ-Inclusive Parenting (and Schools!) Really Looks Like
Is your school community confusing “nice” with “kind” and leaving LGBTQ+ students unsupported in the process?
As a new school year begins, many of us want to build more inclusive classrooms and commun…
#189 | From Packing to Pronouns: How To Be The Ally Your College-Bound Kid Needs
Is your LGBTQ teen heading to college and you’re wondering how to support them without smothering their independence?
The transition to college is a huge milestone. For LGBTQ+ students, it can bring b…
#188 | Five (5) Ways to Support LGBTQ Teens During Back-to-School Season—Without Overstepping
Is your LGBTQ teen heading back to high school, but quietly bracing for judgment, isolation, or burnout?
For LGBTQ+ teens, high school is often a complex dance between self-expression and self-protect…
#187 | Back-to-School as an Ally: Simple Steps to Create Safer Classrooms for LGBTQ Youth
Is your LGBTQ child heading back to school feeling supported or silently dreading the year ahead?
While a new school year can be exciting, for many LGBTQ+ kids it also brings fear of being misgendered…
#186 | How to Spot Signs of Travel Anxiety in LGBTQ Kids and Support Them With Confidence
Is your LGBTQ child carrying invisible emotional baggage every time you travel?
For many LGBTQ+ youth, what should be a fun vacation can trigger stress, dysphoria, and emotional shutdown. This episode…
#185 | Why “Just Booking It” Is Dangerous When Traveling With LGBTQ Youth - Ally Guidance You Need
Would your next family vacation make your LGBTQ+ child feel affirmed or anxious?
Whether you're planning a road trip or flying internationally, traveling with an LGBTQ+ child brings unique emotional a…
#184 | How the Healthy Families Bright Futures Program Supports LGBTQ Teens & Their Parents With Real Tools That Work
Are you raising or supporting an LGBTQ+ teen and wondering how to truly show up for them, especially in today’s climate?
In this episode, psychologist and researcher Dr. Heather Littleton joins host H…
#183 | Mental Health Is Safety: A New Way to Protect LGBTQ+ Youth
What if the most important way to protect LGBTQ+ youth isn’t legislation or policies, but how we care for their mental health?
In the final episode of July’s “Safety” series, Heather Hester gets to th…
#182 | Is Your Child’s School Safe for LGBTQ+ Students? What Parents and Allies Need to Ask
Is your child’s school truly safe for all students? For LGBTQ+ youth, safety can’t be assumed; it must be advocated for.
In this powerful and practical episode, Heather breaks down what school safety …
#181 | Affirmation Is Safety: A Relationship Roadmap for LGBTQ+ Families
What does it really mean to affirm an LGBTQ+ child - and why does it matter so much more than just saying “I love you no matter what”?
In today’s powerful and practical episode, Heather explores how s…
#180 | Guidance and Guts: The Ally’s Role in a World That’s Failing LGBTQ+ Youth
Are you watching headlines and wondering, “How is this even possible?” You’re not alone. What’s happening is no longer theoretical, it's personal.
In this urgent and grounding episode, Heather takes u…
#179 | Why Saying “LGBTQ Isn’t for Kids” Is Dangerous: Challenging a Harmful Narrative
Ever heard someone say “LGBTQ isn’t for kids”? Whether in a school board meeting or family gathering, that phrase may sound protective, but it’s doing real harm.
In this bold and heartfelt episode, He…
#178 | Facing Fear as an LGBTQ+ Ally: A Guide for Parents and Caregivers
Are you afraid of “getting it wrong” when it comes to supporting your LGBTQ+ child or navigating today’s climate as an ally? You're not alone.
In this tender and truth-telling episode, Heather explore…