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

Heather Hester | Advocate for Parents of LGBTQ Teens
  • 4.6 (115)
  • Parenting
  • Updated Semiweekly

"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. 1d ago

    What Comparison Cannot Touch: Your Friday Reset for Parents of LGBTQ Kids

    Grab your Panic to Plan Guide here! Comparison does not know you. And it does not know your kid, your journey, or the specific kind of love you are doing. This week's reset is about returning to what cannot be measured or ranked or taken from you. On Tuesday we talked about the comparison trap and the particular pain of measuring yourself against another parent and coming up feeling small. Today Heather brings it home with your Friday Butterfly Effect, a few small things to carry the truth of your own story into the weekend and quiet the voice that says you are not enough. In this episode you'll get: * This week's word, enough, and exactly how to use it when the comparison trap closes in * A tiny action that gives you concrete evidence of what your specific journey has already built * A micro-rebellion that protects your nervous system from what is quietly making you feel smaller * One line to steal for the next time the comparison loop starts and you need something to interrupt it Press play for your Friday reset and carry something true 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

    What Comparison Cannot Touch: Your Friday Reset for Parents of LGBTQ Kids

  2. 4d ago

    You Are Not Behind: What Parents of LGBTQ Kids Need to Hear About the Comparison Trap

    Get the Panic to Plan Guide here There is a particular kind of pain that does not announce itself loudly. You see another parent who seems to have it figured out, who has been advocating longer, speaking more fluently, loving more visibly. And something in you goes small. You know that feeling. This episode is for that moment. The comparison trap hits parents of LGBTQ+ kids in a specific and painful way. Because this journey does not come with a clear map, a certification, or a moment where someone tells you that you are doing it right. So we look around. We measure. We try to locate ourselves on a scale that was never designed for what we are actually doing. In this episode Heather Hester gets honest about her own experience with the comparison trap, including a recent moment that caught her completely off guard, and unpacks the lie underneath it that feels so completely true in the moment. In this episode you'll learn how to: * Name the lie underneath the comparison trap before it takes hold and pulls you under * Understand why comparison hits parents of LGBTQ+ kids with a particular intensity and what is actually underneath it * Return to your own specific story, your specific kid, your specific unlearning, as the only measure that actually matters Press play to lift a layer of fog that may have been quietly settling for longer than you realize. 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

    You Are Not Behind: What Parents of LGBTQ Kids Need to Hear About the Comparison Trap

  3. Jul 17

    Travel Prep as Love: A Friday Reset for Parents of LGBTQ Kids

    The research, the conversations, the paperwork, the permission you give your kid before you ever leave home. That is not just preparation. That is love made practical. On Tuesday we talked about what it actually takes to travel safely with an LGBTQ+ family. Today Heather brings it home with your Friday Butterfly Effect, reframing travel preparation not as a burden but as one of the most concrete acts of allyship you can offer your kid. In this episode you'll get: * This week's word, prepared, and why it is fundamentally different from anxious * A tiny action that opens a real pre-travel conversation with your LGBTQ+ kid * A micro-rebellion that turns your travel spending into intentional advocacy * One line to carry into the weekend that reframes everything 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

    Travel Prep as Love: A Friday Reset for Parents of LGBTQ Kids

  4. Jul 14

    Traveling With Your LGBTQ Kid: What Every Parent Needs to Know Before You Leave

    Summer travel should feel like joy. But if you have an LGBTQ+ kid, you already know there is a layer of preparation most families never have to think about. This episode is for you. The world is not equally safe for LGBTQ+ travelers. Not internationally, and not here at home in the United States. In this episode, Heather Hester walks through what the current global LGBTQ+ safety landscape actually looks like, including which US states have enacted restrictive legislation that directly affects LGBTQ families traveling today, and what every parent needs to know before booking a trip. In this episode you'll learn: * How to use the A3M LGBTQ+ Risk Map to assess safety at any destination, domestic or international * A concrete pre-travel checklist including packing, paperwork, cultural conversations, and real-time safety tools * How to have an honest safety conversation with your LGBTQ+ kid that empowers rather than frightens them * Why giving your family permission to tap out of any situation is one of the most powerful things you can do as an ally Press play to travel smarter, safer, and more intentionally with your LGBTQ kids this summer. Resources mentioned: * A3M LGBTQ+ Risk Map 2025: https://www.global-monitoring.com/en/tourism/lgbtqplusriskmap/ * IGLTA — International LGBTQ+ Travel Association: www.iglta.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. 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

    Traveling With Your LGBTQ Kid: What Every Parent Needs to Know Before You Leave

  5. Jul 10

    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

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

  6. Jul 7

    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

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

  7. Jul 3

    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

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

  8. Jun 30

    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

    Bonus Episode: I'm Not Okay, and I Don't Think You Are Either
See All (302)

Trailers

4.6
out of 5
115 Ratings

About

"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

Information

You Might Also Like