More Human. More Kind. | Parenting LGBTQ Kids, Unlearning Fear, Becoming More Human

Heather Hester | Advocate for Parents of LGBTQ Teens
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  • Parenting
  • Updated twice weekly

"Mom, I think I might be_____." Whether that sentence ended in gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, or something they're still figuring out — you're in the right place. Maybe you're scared. Maybe you're grieving something you can't quite name yet. Maybe you're desperate to get this right and terrified you already got it wrong. This show is for you, exactly where you are right now. More Human. More Kind. is hosted by Heather Hester, author of Parenting with Pride and a fierce advocate for LGBTQ kids and the parents who love them. Each week Heather brings lived experience, practical guidance, and the kind of honest conversation that helps you move from fear and confusion to grounded, loving action. Whether you're a parent in the early days of your child coming out, an ally deepening your understanding, or someone unlearning old beliefs to show up better for the people you love, this is your place. Every episode gives you something real: tools for navigating the hard moments, having difficult conversations, guidance on loving boundaries, and the steady reminder that you don't have to figure this out alone. New episodes every Tuesday and Friday. Start with fan-favorite Episode 3: Embrace the Messiness of Supporting Your LGBTQ Teen, an honest conversation that will help you exhale, reflect, and show up more fully for the people you love. Three-time Women in Podcasting Award winner for Best LGBTQ+ Podcast, 2024 through 2026. One of the top 1.5% of podcasts globally. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy

  1. Genuine Joy Is Countercultural: Your Friday Reset for Parents of LGBTQ Kids

    2 days ago

    Genuine Joy Is Countercultural: Your Friday Reset for Parents of LGBTQ Kids

    Real joy doesn't come from a feed. This week's reset will help you find it, feel it, and help your kid do the same. In Tuesday's episode, we explored what queer creators are teaching our kids about authentic joy and identity. Today Heather brings it home with your Friday Butterfly Effect, one small shift designed to create a meaningful ripple in your week and in your relationship with your LGBTQ kid. In this episode you'll learn how to: * Use this week's word, genuine, to notice the difference between performed and authentic joy in yourself and your kid * Take one tiny action that opens a real conversation with your teen about who they follow and why it matters to them * Practice a micro-rebellion that brings joy back to where it belongs, inside you, not on a screen Press play for your Friday reset, and carry something real into the weekend. Hi, I’m Heather Hester, and I’m so glad you’re here! Feeling uncertain or overwhelmed? Download my free guide to take you from Panic to Plan. Join a private community with other parents and allies just like you! Stay informed - receive my newsletter Invite me to speak at your workshop or event Read my book, Parenting with Pride. Share More Human. More Kind. Please subscribe, rate, and review! Connect heather@heatherhester.net Buy Me A Coffee Watch on YouTube Listen to *NEW* episodes every Tuesday and Friday! At the heart of my work is a deep commitment to compassion, authenticity, and transformative allyship, especially for those navigating the complexities of parenting LGBTQ kids. Through this podcast, speaking, my writing, and the spaces I create, I help people unlearn bias, embrace their full humanity, and grow their capacity for courageous, compassionate connection. For parents, allies, and those pioneering a way to lead with love and kindness, I’m here with true, messy, and heart-warming stories, real tools, and grounding support to help you move from fear to fierce, informed action. Whether you’re listening in, working with me directly, or quietly taking it all in, I see you. And I’m so glad you’re part of this journey. More Human. More Kind. formerly Just Breathe: Parenting Your LGBTQ Teen is a safe and supportive podcast in a heartfelt and empowering space where a mom and advocate offers practical guidance and education to parents and allies, fostering empathy, kindness, love, and strong boundaries while supporting LGBTQ teens and the diverse LGBTQ community—including gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans, transgender, and queer individuals—through conversations about mental health, grief, gender identity, sexual orientation, human rights, social justice, parenting, parent support, and meaningful LGBTQ allyship and allyship in action. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy

    6 min
  2. Who Is Your LGBTQ Kid Following Online, and What Are They Learning?

    5 days ago

    Who Is Your LGBTQ Kid Following Online, and What Are They Learning?

    Your kid has a feed full of people they've never met, and some of those people are quietly teaching them what joy looks and feels like. Do you know what they're learning? For LGBTQ teens especially, finding creators online who live and love the way they do can be genuinely life-changing. But not all joy is created equal. The most successful queer creators have discovered something worth understanding: authentic, lasting joy comes from within, and it shows. In this episode, Heather Hester unpacks the psychology behind your kid's online world and what it means for you as a parent or ally. In this episode you'll learn how to: * Understand what queer creators are actually teaching your LGBTQ+ teen about authentic joy and identity * Recognize the difference between performed happiness and genuine self-expression in the content your kid consumes * Start a curiosity-based conversation with your kid about who they follow and why, without judgment or agenda Press play to understand what's really happening in your kid's online world, and how staying curious keeps you connected to what matters most. Hi, I’m Heather Hester, and I’m so glad you’re here! Feeling uncertain or overwhelmed? Download my free guide to take you from Panic to Plan. Join a private community with other parents and allies just like you! Stay informed - receive my newsletter Invite me to speak at your workshop or event Read my book, Parenting with Pride. Share More Human. More Kind. Please subscribe, rate, and review! Connect heather@heatherhester.net Buy Me A Coffee Watch on YouTube Listen to *NEW* episodes every Tuesday and Friday! At the heart of my work is a deep commitment to compassion, authenticity, and transformative allyship, especially for those navigating the complexities of parenting LGBTQ kids. Through this podcast, speaking, my writing, and the spaces I create, I help people unlearn bias, embrace their full humanity, and grow their capacity for courageous, compassionate connection. For parents, allies, and those pioneering a way to lead with love and kindness, I’m here with true, messy, and heart-warming stories, real tools, and grounding support to help you move from fear to fierce, informed action. Whether you’re listening in, working with me directly, or quietly taking it all in, I see you. And I’m so glad you’re part of this journey. More Human. More Kind. formerly Just Breathe: Parenting Your LGBTQ Teen is a safe and supportive podcast in a heartfelt and empowering space where a mom and advocate offers practical guidance and education to parents and allies, fostering empathy, kindness, love, and strong boundaries while supporting LGBTQ teens and the diverse LGBTQ community—including gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans, transgender, and queer individuals—through conversations about mental health, grief, gender identity, sexual orientation, human rights, social justice, parenting, parent support, and meaningful LGBTQ allyship and allyship in action. Mentioned in this episode: Contact Hester Painting & Decorating for a consultation! https://go.hesterdecorating.com/mhmk This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy

    13 min
  3. You Can Love Fiercely and Still Be Running on Empty: A Reset for Parents of LGBTQ Kids in Burnout

    3 Jul

    You Can Love Fiercely and Still Be Running on Empty: A Reset for Parents of LGBTQ Kids in Burnout

    You don't need a complete overhaul to start recovering from ally burnout. You need one small, doable thing. Interest: This week's quick follow-up to our episode on ally burnout and compassion fatigue gives you something tiny and real to carry into your week, no grand gestures or new routines required. Desire: In this episode you'll learn how to: Name your own stress pattern out loud, in one sentenceProtect one non-negotiable need like it's non-negotiableHold onto a single line that quiets the guilt when it creeps back in Action: Press play to find one small thing you can actually do this week, not just think about. Mentioned in this episode: Contact Hester Painting & Decorating for a consultation! https://go.hesterdecorating.com/mhmk This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy

    6 min
  4. Bonus Episode: I'm Not Okay, and I Don't Think You Are Either

    30 Jun

    Bonus Episode: I'm Not Okay, and I Don't Think You Are Either

    My Raw Reaction to This Week's SCOTUS Rulings A note before you press play. This isn't a normal episode. There's no outline, no structure, no neat takeaways. It's me, talking through what I'm feeling after two days of Supreme Court decisions that I'm still trying to process myself. If you've been doom-scrolling the news the way I have, you already know some of what's in here. The trans rights ruling. Birthright citizenship. Campaign finance. But this isn't a breakdown of the legal details. It's rage and grief and fear, unfiltered, because I didn't want to pretend everything is fine when it isn't. I talk about the cowardice I see in how these decisions came down. I talk about Sotomayor, Kagan, and Jackson, and how grateful I am for the way they've fought back in their dissents. And I talk about what it means to have this dropped the same week we're supposed to be celebrating 250 years of this country. Mostly, I wanted you to know you're not alone in whatever you're feeling right now. Whether it's rage or numbness or something in between. We're not giving up. We're not going anywhere. Sending you love this week, whatever this week looks like for you. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy

    10 min
  5. Up at 2AM Researching Everything: What Ally Burnout Looks Like for Parents of LGBTQ+ Kids

    30 Jun

    Up at 2AM Researching Everything: What Ally Burnout Looks Like for Parents of LGBTQ+ Kids

    Talk to other parents who are experiencing burnout, too. Learn more about the Kindred Collective. Loving your child through a hard season can quietly burn you out, and most allies never see it coming. When a child comes out and struggles, parents often carry an invisible weight: vicarious stress, ambiguous grief, and a nervous system stuck on high alert. This episode names what compassion fatigue looks like for allies, and why it shows up differently depending on how you're wired. In this episode, you'll learn how to: Recognize the real signs of ally burnout, even when they don't look like "burnout"Understand why you and your partner might be falling apart in completely different waysStart recovering without waiting for the crisis to end first Press play to find out why your exhaustion isn't a flaw, it's evidence of how much you love your kid. Hi, I’m Heather Hester, and I’m so glad you’re here! Feeling uncertain or overwhelmed? Download my free guide to take you from Panic to Plan. Join a private community with other parents and allies just like you! Stay informed - receive my newsletter Invite me to speak at your workshop or event Read my book, Parenting with Pride. Share More Human. More Kind. Please subscribe, rate, and review! Connect heather@heatherhester.net Buy Me A Coffee Watch on YouTube Listen to *NEW* episodes every Tuesday and Friday! At the heart of my work is a deep commitment to compassion, authenticity, and transformative allyship, especially for those navigating the complexities of parenting LGBTQ kids. Through this podcast, speaking, my writing, and the spaces I create, I help people unlearn bias, embrace their full humanity, and grow their capacity for courageous, compassionate connection. For parents, allies, and those pioneering a way to lead with love and kindness, I’m here with true, messy, and heart-warming stories, real tools, and grounding support to help you move from fear to fierce, informed action. Whether you’re listening in, working with me directly, or quietly taking it all in, I see you. And I’m so glad you’re part of this journey. More Human. More Kind. formerly Just Breathe: Parenting Your LGBTQ Teen is a safe and supportive podcast in a heartfelt and empowering space where a mom and advocate offers practical guidance and education to parents and allies, fostering empathy, kindness, love, and strong boundaries while supporting LGBTQ teens and the diverse LGBTQ community—including gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans, transgender, and queer individuals—through conversations about mental health, grief, gender identity, sexual orientation, human rights, social justice, parenting, parent support, and meaningful LGBTQ allyship and allyship in action. Mentioned in this episode: Contact Hester Painting & Decorating for a consultation! https://go.hesterdecorating.com/mhmk This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy

    17 min
  6. PFLAG National on Creating Pride in Families: The New Resource Helping Parents Build Support Networks at Work

    29 Jun

    PFLAG National on Creating Pride in Families: The New Resource Helping Parents Build Support Networks at Work

    What if the support you've been looking for was one conversation away, right where you work? PFLAG National's Jamie Henkel joins the show to talk about Creating Pride in Families, a brand new resource library designed to help parents and caregivers of LGBTQ+ people build peer support networks inside their workplaces. Whether your company has a thriving ERG or you're starting from scratch, this episode will show you what's possible and how to get there. Jamie also gets honest about what allyship actually requires: doing your own homework, speaking up even when it's imperfect, and understanding that silence is never the safe choice. In this episode you'll learn how to: Access PFLAG's Creating Pride in Families resource library and use it to start or strengthen a workplace parent groupNavigate the current DEI climate, including why some companies are actually increasing their investment right nowFind PFLAG support if there's no local chapter near you, including free virtual options and identity-specific communitiesTake action as an ally without waiting until you feel ready or perfectly informedUnderstand what your LGBTQ+ loved one actually needs from you, and why getting it wrong is still better than staying silent Resources mentioned in this episode: Creating Pride in Families resource library: https://pflag.org/press/creating-pride-in-families/Find a local chapter or PFLAG Connects virtual meeting: pflag.orgPFLAG Connects Communities (free identity-specific virtual support groups)PFLAG Academy Online (monthly webinar program for members and allies)Free publications including Our Trans Loved Ones and Faith in Our Families: pflag.org About Jamie Henkel: Jamie Henkel (she/her) is the Vice President of Learning and Inclusion at PFLAG National, where she has worked since 2008. She oversees the development of PFLAG's Straight for Equality publications and learning sessions, serves as the architect of PFLAG Academy Online, and has spent her career building tools that help families and allies show up with more courage and less fear. She lives in Portland, Oregon. Connect with PFLAG National: pflag.org Hi, I’m Heather Hester, and I’m so glad you’re here! Feeling uncertain or overwhelmed? Download my free guide to take you from Panic to Plan. Join a private community with other parents and allies just like you! Stay informed - receive my newsletter Invite me to speak at your workshop or event Read my book, Parenting with Pride. Share More Human. More Kind. Please subscribe, rate, and review! Connect heather@heatherhester.net Buy Me A Coffee Watch on YouTube Listen to *NEW* episodes every Tuesday and Friday! At the heart of my work is a deep commitment to compassion, authenticity, and transformative allyship, especially for those navigating the complexities of parenting LGBTQ kids. Through this podcast, speaking, my writing, and the spaces I create, I help people unlearn bias, embrace their full humanity, and grow their capacity for courageous, compassionate connection. For parents, allies, and those pioneering a way to lead with love and kindness, I’m here with true, messy, and heart-warming stories, real tools, and grounding support to help you move from fear to fierce, informed action. Whether you’re listening in, working with me directly, or quietly taking it all in, I see you. And I’m so glad you’re part of this journey. More Human. More Kind. formerly Just Breathe: Parenting Your LGBTQ Teen is a safe and supportive podcast in a heartfelt and empowering space where a mom and advocate offers practical guidance and education to parents and allies, fostering empathy, kindness, love, and strong boundaries while supporting LGBTQ teens and the diverse LGBTQ community—including gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans, transgender, and queer individuals—through conversations about mental health, grief, gender identity, sexual orientation, human rights, social justice, parenting, parent support, and meaningful LGBTQ allyship and allyship in action. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy

    36 min
  7. When Your Kid's Identity Shifts: How to Love Before You Understand

    26 Jun

    When Your Kid's Identity Shifts: How to Love Before You Understand

    Check out in depth essays, meditations, and tips and strategies on the More Human More Kind Substack! Your kid changed how they describe themselves again, and some part of you is still waiting for the "real" answer. This Friday Reset picks up where Tuesday left off. One small shift, one word, one line you can carry into the week for the moments when not-knowing feels like too much, and you need a gentler way to hold it. In this episode you'll learn how to: Use one simple word to make space for what's still unfoldingRespond to an unexpected identity shift without needing it to mean something right nowCarry a line that lets you love without needing to define Action: Press play for this week's Butterfly Effect, a small shift toward more room, more ease, more yet. Hi, I’m Heather Hester, and I’m so glad you’re here! Feeling uncertain or overwhelmed? Download my free guide to take you from Panic to Plan. Join a private community with other parents and allies just like you! Stay informed - receive my newsletter Invite me to speak at your workshop or event Read my book, Parenting with Pride. Share More Human. More Kind. Please subscribe, rate, and review! Connect heather@heatherhester.net Buy Me A Coffee Watch on YouTube Listen to *NEW* episodes every Tuesday and Friday! At the heart of my work is a deep commitment to compassion, authenticity, and transformative allyship, especially for those navigating the complexities of parenting LGBTQ kids. Through this podcast, speaking, my writing, and the spaces I create, I help people unlearn bias, embrace their full humanity, and grow their capacity for courageous, compassionate connection. For parents, allies, and those pioneering a way to lead with love and kindness, I’m here with true, messy, and heart-warming stories, real tools, and grounding support to help you move from fear to fierce, informed action. Whether you’re listening in, working with me directly, or quietly taking it all in, I see you. And I’m so glad you’re part of this journey. More Human. More Kind. formerly Just Breathe: Parenting Your LGBTQ Teen is a safe and supportive podcast in a heartfelt and empowering space where a mom and advocate offers practical guidance and education to parents and allies, fostering empathy, kindness, love, and strong boundaries while supporting LGBTQ teens and the diverse LGBTQ community—including gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans, transgender, and queer individuals—through conversations about mental health, grief, gender identity, sexual orientation, human rights, social justice, parenting, parent support, and meaningful LGBTQ allyship and allyship in action. Mentioned in this episode: Contact Hester Painting & Decorating for a consultation! https://go.hesterdecorating.com/mhmk This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy

    7 min
  8. Beyond the Binary: Why Fluid Doesn't Mean Unsure (Important Guidance for Parents of LGBTQ Kids)

    23 Jun

    Beyond the Binary: Why Fluid Doesn't Mean Unsure (Important Guidance for Parents of LGBTQ Kids)

    Find connection with other parents in the Kindred Collective! Your kid said something different about who they are than they did six months ago, and some part of you panicked. For a lot of parents, fluidity feels like the hardest version of this journey, not because it's harder to love, but because it doesn't offer the relief of a finish line. This episode is about what happens when you stop needing one. It's about a conversation that changed how one parent saw not just their child, but everyone around them and what that kind of letting go can open up. In this episode you'll learn how to: Understand what fluidity actually means and the misconception that keeps tripping parents upShift from "so are you..." questions to ones that keep the door openRecognize when your need for certainty is becoming your kid's job to manage Action: Press play to find a little more room to breathe when the answers keep changing. Hi, I’m Heather Hester, and I’m so glad you’re here! Feeling uncertain or overwhelmed? Download my free guide to take you from Panic to Plan. Join a private community with other parents and allies just like you! Stay informed - receive my newsletter Invite me to speak at your workshop or event Read my book, Parenting with Pride. Share More Human. More Kind. Please subscribe, rate, and review! Connect heather@heatherhester.net Buy Me A Coffee Watch on YouTube Listen to *NEW* episodes every Tuesday and Friday! At the heart of my work is a deep commitment to compassion, authenticity, and transformative allyship, especially for those navigating the complexities of parenting LGBTQ kids. Through this podcast, speaking, my writing, and the spaces I create, I help people unlearn bias, embrace their full humanity, and grow their capacity for courageous, compassionate connection. For parents, allies, and those pioneering a way to lead with love and kindness, I’m here with true, messy, and heart-warming stories, real tools, and grounding support to help you move from fear to fierce, informed action. Whether you’re listening in, working with me directly, or quietly taking it all in, I see you. And I’m so glad you’re part of this journey. More Human. More Kind. formerly Just Breathe: Parenting Your LGBTQ Teen is a safe and supportive podcast in a heartfelt and empowering space where a mom and advocate offers practical guidance and education to parents and allies, fostering empathy, kindness, love, and strong boundaries while supporting LGBTQ teens and the diverse LGBTQ community—including gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans, transgender, and queer individuals—through conversations about mental health, grief, gender identity, sexual orientation, human rights, social justice, parenting, parent support, and meaningful LGBTQ allyship and allyship in action. Mentioned in this episode: Contact Hester Painting & Decorating for a consultation! https://go.hesterdecorating.com/mhmk This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy

    15 min
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"Mom, I think I might be_____." Whether that sentence ended in gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, or something they're still figuring out — you're in the right place. Maybe you're scared. Maybe you're grieving something you can't quite name yet. Maybe you're desperate to get this right and terrified you already got it wrong. This show is for you, exactly where you are right now. More Human. More Kind. is hosted by Heather Hester, author of Parenting with Pride and a fierce advocate for LGBTQ kids and the parents who love them. Each week Heather brings lived experience, practical guidance, and the kind of honest conversation that helps you move from fear and confusion to grounded, loving action. Whether you're a parent in the early days of your child coming out, an ally deepening your understanding, or someone unlearning old beliefs to show up better for the people you love, this is your place. Every episode gives you something real: tools for navigating the hard moments, having difficult conversations, guidance on loving boundaries, and the steady reminder that you don't have to figure this out alone. New episodes every Tuesday and Friday. Start with fan-favorite Episode 3: Embrace the Messiness of Supporting Your LGBTQ Teen, an honest conversation that will help you exhale, reflect, and show up more fully for the people you love. Three-time Women in Podcasting Award winner for Best LGBTQ+ Podcast, 2024 through 2026. One of the top 1.5% of podcasts globally. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy

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