Protective Parenting Practices for LGBTQ+ Youth Well-Being: A Reflexive Thematic Analysis of Racially and Ethnically Marginalized Families in the United States

This qualitative study explored the ways that cisgender, heterosexual parents in racially and ethnically minoritized families living in the United States support and protect the well-being of their LGBTQ+ adolescents. Guided by intersectional frameworks and the bioecological model of human development, this study examined protective parenting practices motivated by youths’ LGBTQ+ identity. Reflexive thematic analysis was employed to analyze transcripts from families where either the youth and/or parent(s) self-identified as racially and/or ethnically minoritized, which included interviews from 13 LGBTQ+ adolescents and 12 cisgender, heterosexual parents. Findings identified two major protective parenting practices: 1) adjusting reciprocal socialization patterns and 2) creating safe social environments. Patterns characterized by preparation for bias and LGBTQ+ identity/community socialization were noted, which mirror concepts in the RES and LGBTQ+ identity/community socialization literature. However, LGBTQ+ socialization messages were often provided or prompted by adolescents to their parents. Parents and adolescents also detailed how creating safe social environments was protective and how they worked together to foster them. Findings highlight the dynamic and interactive nature of protective parenting practices at the intersections of race, gender, and sexuality, as well as the unique strengths and challenges of these intersections.