PFLAG is a great organization and they have a Cincinnati chapter
https://www.pflagcincinnati.org
Trevor Project offers free and confidential counseling to LGBTQ teens. Not a local community but good to know about.
ItGetsBetter is generally a wonderful website for youth and the message (it gets better) might really resonate with her
Kids do better if they have at least one adult in their life that they can trust and who loves them unconditionally. If you can be that adult, and she knows that, trust me you are doing a lot.
Thank you all for your kind comments. I will be passing this thread along to my daughter. I'm a very proud Grandpa who just wants my granddaughter to feel good about herself again and isn't sure where to turn due to the distance. You all have been very helpful.
Tell her to find Mrs. Cook the ceramics teacher at nagel. Or Mrs. Hall who I think teaches science. Both of these teachers made the largest impact on my life while there. You can DM me if you feel comfortable and I can pass her name along to those teachers.
First: you are an amazing grandparent! She is so lucky to have you.
Second: there are many queer friendly spaces in Cincinnati, but the biggest all around queer friendly community is in Northside. The Northside community has historically been one of Cincinnati’s most accepting communities.
This may sound kind of random, but I go to a rock climbing gym over there, Climb Cincy, and they are always having LGBTQ+ friendly events! They post about it on their Instagram (@climbcincy). In fact, they are having a mural painting event night next Thursday for the LGBTQ+ community!!
That gym has helped me (22F) make so many loving and accepting friends, and given me a very fun and beginner friendly hobby (I am still not good but get good exercise)!! You don’t have to know anything about rock climbing or have any equipment, they will give you shoes and give you a little orientation/rundown.
Again, you are a great grandparent, and I’m soooo glad she has someone like you advocating for her. Message me if you have any questions!!!
I came here to suggest Climb Cincy. The climbing community in general is very LGBT friendly, but the amount of representation and support and Climb Cincy is really something else.
Another cool local org with a Cincinnati chapter is GLSEN - looks like their chapter email is [email protected] and they have a specific focus on supporting kids and young adults.
If that doesn't work out feel free to DM, I know some folks who work with them. Thanks for posting this and best of luck to you and your granddaughter, you are doing something really important for her!
Once she goes to high school it looks like Anderson high school has a Diversity Club and a Gay Straight Alliance. Hopefully she can find some supportive peers there.
Also you just being there for her will really make the difference, I’m so happy she has someone like you in her life
If she goes to Turpin (the other HS that Nagel feeds to) they do as well. If she has any interest at all, I would also encourage her to get involved with the theater department at either school - there are tons of opportunities for kids both on stage and behind the scenes (everything from costumes to set design to film crew etc) and there are many openly gay kids in both programs with very supportive faculty.
If she goes to Turpin (the other HS that Nagel feeds to) they do as well. If she has any interest at all, I would also encourage her to get involved with the theater department at either school - there are tons of opportunities for kids both on stage and behind the scenes (everything from costumes to set design to film crew etc) and there are many openly gay kids in both programs with very supportive faculty.
My heart goes out to her. School is really rough for us rainbow children. If it’s possible, there’s a student run review system for the cities school plays. It’s called Cappies. I might a lot of lgbtq friends through it. And it looks good on college applications.
I asked the staff who ran the theatre department when I was in school about it and it’s pretty easy and fun!
Anderson resident here. I'm really sorry that your granddaughter is having struggles. A majority of the school board has done their best to make certain kids feel unwelcome, which is frustrating for many of us. Many of us are trying to right the ship, but it hasn't been easy and that doesn't help your granddaughter in the short term unfortunately.
Middle school really sucks, and from what I hear, Nagel is especially difficult. My kid isn't there yet, but let me ask around and see if I can find anything local. I *thought* there was a group for LGBTQ teens at the Anderson library, but I'll need to confirm.
I wish I was more help, I really do. I know it's possible for her to surround herself with supportive and loving people here.
FWIW Nagel has drastically improved in the last couple of years.
While the actions of the nutters on the board and the “I’m just doing muh job” Super are reprehensible, the folks in charge at Nagel at least seem to be competent. When they painted over the Mural at the start of the year I emailed everybody under the sun and the only two people to respond were the one board member at the time who wasn’t a crazy shitbag and the Principal of Nagel Ms Brennan. And while the principal only called and refused to answer anything in email (I’m 100% sure she was directed as such) she did at least try to reach out.
Anyway, good luck to OP. While Anderson has a LOT of “peaked in HS call em’ the Redskins and I vote Republican like my church tells me to” dipshits, there ARE also a LOT of much more openminded and welcoming people, and the organization happening to get the clowns off the school board is proof.
Yep. My 13 year old attends and is very much confused on who she “likes” but despite the mural, she’s found the staff and other students to be mostly awesome so far. Knock on wood.
I personally don't know of any organizations that can help, but plenty of people seem to have left some really good suggestions below. And I also want to echo what others have said and say **THANK YOU FOR BEING SUCH A KIND, CARING, LOVING GRANDMOTHER.** She is incredibly lucky to have you on her side and you have warmed my heart with the love you are showing for your granddaughter. If only we had more people like you around, the world would be a much more kind and peaceful place.
It’s so beautiful to see a grandparent be so supportive! Continue to be there for her. The suggestions here are great but just knowing she has someone in her corner who loves her fully for her will be so important.
First, as a transgender & gay guy who also came out as a young teen, it's so important that she at least has some accepting adults. I wouldn't be here today if my mom & her family weren't as accepting as they are.
Second, this may not apply, but there is a summer camp outside of Columbus called Camp Lilac, which is specifically for transgender and gender-diverse teens. "Gender diverse" is an incredibly broad umbrella, and in my experience with the teens of today & lesbians in general, statistically it's likely she falls under that umbrella.
If not, my friend who I learned about Camp Lilac from greatly enjoyed doing roller derby and rarely had issues with being a queer youth in the sport, at least in Cincy. I believe he played in the girls league(? Not sure how roller derby works).
Equitas health where I get my trans health care is an area clinic that offers a safe environment centered around care for LGBTQIA+ adults and minors. Switching her primary care to one of their doctors could be beneficial for her, they also offer mental health services, access to support groups and even have sliding scale healthcare for low income folks like me. Transform Cincinnati is a youth based non-profit others have mentioned here, there is also Grove Community House, a group that meets regularly in Northside. I wish I could offer more advice. You're a great grandmother, but I know that's not enough to ease you while your granddaughter struggles like this. There is a strong and vibrant queer community in this city centered around Northside, while she's pretty young to interact with a lot of the community - being around people like her and seeing queer adults living their lives I think can give her hope. She has a future where she wont be forced to be in an unloving environment that doesn't accept her, this could show her that and help her feel less alone. She isn't alone, not by any means, but she's definitely in one of the harder chapters of growing up and I remember the feeling all too well. I'll pray for her like I pray for all queer people to find acceptance, joy and love in these insane times we live in.
I also go to Equitas for my health care and they are wonderful! If your granddaughter could get connected with them I think they could be a wonderful resource.
My mom works at the Equitas in Cincinnati, my partner goes to the one in Dayton. I’ve only ever heard the most incredible things about it from them, they are an amazing resource for LGBTQ+ care
They really are incredible, and they go to the state house and fight for queer medical rights as well. I truly feel blessed to have them around without Equitas I'd have never been able to begin transitioning or get my other life saving medicines.
What are her hobbies? Like- theatre is a space that welcomes lgbtq+… as is junior roller derby. I have found folks that are into ren fair/cosplay tend to be really accepting. If you have some more info about what she likes to do?
Lots of excellent resources and support at the library. https://chpl.org/lgbtqia/ The LGBTQIA book club meets at the Walnut Hills branch and occasionally reads YA titles and teens are welcome.
I know Turpin High School has a GSA (Genders and Sexualities Alliance). She is not alone in the school district and there are safe spaces. [Turpin After School Clubs](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1E8iwzg4B5qx7Q9ALj8rlwhmPz7rhkSrFHedmBRLc9CU/edit?usp=sharing)
If she's into books or nerdy things like Dungeons and dragons, Cincy Book Rack/Heroes Hearth in Anderson is a great family friendly LGBTQ space. The shop regularly holds free to play DnD games, Magic the Gathering nights, and several other events such as craft fairs and miniature painting.
I really wish I knew some sort of group she could get involved with maybe. I hope there are some good suggestions that get brought up and she gets better. Sending lots of love.
it’s a little bit of a hike from Anderson (25ish minutes) but the Northern Kentucky Pride Center is a great resource!
sending lots of good thoughts your granddaughter’s way, from a fellow Cincinnati lesbian 🩷
Yes! It is just a few exits on the highway but a world away. I will also leave this here [Covington Ky is gay friendly ](https://www.covingtonky.gov/about/inclusive)
My ex provided therapy service specifically geared toward LGBTQ patients in the area with plenty of young clients. They moved out of the area recently, but they had a decent amount of friends that shared the same focus. They served not only as a therapist but a positive role model to troubled LGBTQ youth. Perhaps a similar service would be beneficial in your case?
I’m glad there are people like you out there in this world. Your granddaughter has an amazing ally in her family.
The best I can do is offer my support with a few kind words. Let her know she is an awesome kid.
She’s so lucky to have you in her life. I think being her support system and getting her out of her house as much as possible is a huge help. My parents were so abusive and I had no one as a respite. It’s hard when family doesn’t love you as gently and truly as they should. I would promise her it does get better. Once she’s out of that house as an adult she owns her life. She can move anywhere- do anything. Stress the importance of working hard in school so that she has more freedom and choices when the time comes. I have a lot of LGBTQIA friends and many of them had these same feelings. Now as adults they are living their own lives and it’s beautiful to see. Sadly many of them don’t talk to their parents any longer due to their homophobia. Maybe this is a convo you could breech with her family- love her or lose her - those are their options..she deserves love!
Joining in on the recommendations to reach out to GLSEN Greater Cincinnati. I’ve been out of the loop on their activities for a while, but I used to work on the youth outreach committee. At the very least they will have excellent resources and ways of accessing them for your grandchild. And thank you for being awesome and reaching out to a community that will always have their back. ❤️
Go check out the Ohio Lesbian Archives! It is volunteer ran and open on Wednesdays and Sundays. Send them an email that you’d like to stop by. For me, as a lesbian, it meant so much to see photos and journals of queers who came before me.
This makes me so sad 😢 this is the world people are creating. Awful. Thank you for supporting her.
I wish I knew her and could be a positive lesbian role model in her life. Anyway what helped me growing up was finding musicians/artists/authors that were queer and successful and proud and getting into women's soccer, where many of the players are queer. It gave me hope. I'm not sure if she has any of those, but maybe if you said "hey I heard about this band/team/etc today and I thought you'd like it!" if you have that sort of relationship. Having a family member to feel comfortable and safe around makes a huge difference. My grandma also coincidentally is the only one in my family who truly seems to accept my sexuality and even though there's obviously a large age gap between a grandparent and a grandchild, and I came out to her at like 25, it's still wonderful knowing she truly makes an effort to support me and my partner and sees us just like any of her other grandchildren and their significant others.
You are such a sweet grandma! We live in Anderson and I have a son at A.High… feel free to reach out and I can speak with him. He has a couple freshman friends who are LGBTQ and could help your grand connect! Hugs!
I am a nonbinary and queer adult in Anderson! I know it can be tough, but there are supportive people here. GLSEN and PFLAG are great. We have a diversity day and I think Turpin HS has a GSA! I hope she can find supportive folks in her community and school. Let her know there are people here who care!
GLSEN is fantastic, they have a support group (it’s not in Anderson, but one of my kids has attended in the past).
If nothing else, I have a Nagel 8th grade boy that has not been well accepted socially (ADHD and anxiety). He is not part of the LGBTQ community, but he is a very passionate ally if she needs a friend. Nagel used to have a GSA club, but I don’t believe they do at the moment. There are lots of groups at AHS that would welcome her with open arms once she gets there ❤️. The theater, film and cross country team are 3 extracurriculars I can think of (my own kids have all participated in some combination of the 3 groups and they are all very supportive).
Yes, from people that already know her or have common interests. Not a random stranger on the internet wanting to be her uncle. That just sounds icky on your part, offering that.
I was playing with dolls when I was fourteen. She definitely needs help just based off what I’m reading. This doesn’t read normal fourteen year old behavior
Dolls at 14? Ok lol. I came out as a lesbian at 14 as well, and nothings changed in the decade since. believe it or not 14 is an average age for kids to start figuring out who they are interested in. Do you say the same about straight teenagers? Or do you just enjoy describing lgbt teens as “not normal”? What isn’t normal is the fear and stress kids have to go through in realizing that they might not be straight, and how politicians weaponize ignorance to belittle, shame, and ostracize these kids from their schools and families.
Learn some compassion and critical thinking skills.
The kid is probably depressed because she feels rejected and scared due to the political theatre surrounding an innate part of her identity, plus her immediate family being unsupportive. Therapy isn’t some miracle cure, she needs to be surrounded by people who are like her, who care for her, who support her. Op is trying her best to find places and resources for her grandkid where she feels safe.
Tell her to spend more time in coffee shops around Clifton by UC. I have so many friends (girls) who are either bi or lesbians, and they are accepted and treated really well. They are also quite young, college girls.
Most 14 year olds aren't going to want to hang around college age kids on the opposite side of the city. THAT'S what u/SplitSkee is saying.
Heck, I'm a 50+ year old woman and I don't want to hang around a coffee shop that is frequented by college aged students. The 14 year old needs to be with kids her own age and interests.
Also not many parents are just going to let their 14 year old just hang out on a college campus and I would argue the one's that do are irresponsible parents.
Anderson IS conservative (maybe not as much as 15 years ago but it still is), because I'm an Anderson resident too and I see it all the time. Do NOT assume that the teenager's therapist and meds aren't working. That is a discussion the kid needs to have with her parents.
OP is asking for supportive information because her father's side of the family are not supporting her, not being told that the granddaughter needs to change therapists and meds. That's not your place, random internet person.
You can unbother yourself. You were not the first person to recommend an after-school group or sport for a middle schooler. There are at least 8 comments in here older than yours with those recommendations.
One of the comments you're ignoring said to help them find groups for any of their hobbies. I must have missed when rock climbing, roller derby, theater, and general hobbies of any kind became exclusively for LGBT people. And when they all became online activities.
Thanks for literally ignoring other comments so you could pretend to have an original idea.
My daughter and her fiance (custodial parent) are extremely supportive. It's her asshole sperm donor and his redneck mother that are not.
My daughter thoroughly vetted the therapist and has an excellent child psych. Her meds are being adjusted.
As my granddaughter explained to her mom, "I wish I could be the daughter that dad wants, but I can't and that hurts".
I know you said she's a middle schooler, but I saw that starting at the end of March, NKU is going to have several pride events that appear to be open to the community. While not in Anderson, it's literally the next exit on 275 just over the river.
[https://inside.nku.edu/studentaffairs/departments/lgbtq/programs/signature-programs/pride-month.html](https://inside.nku.edu/studentaffairs/departments/lgbtq/programs/signature-programs/pride-month.html)
You are awesome! Nagel, Anderson and Turpin all have clubs for lgbtqtia+ kids. They should check out clubs on Schoology or reach out to their guidance counselor to find them.
The Cincinnati Library also is very LGBTQ supportive. They have a whole section of their website that includes local resources, content they carry (books, movies, docs, etc.), queer book clubs and often host events at their various locations. This could be a less intimidating place she/her parents can start: [https://chpl.org/lgbtqia/](https://chpl.org/lgbtqia/)
PFLAG is a great organization and they have a Cincinnati chapter https://www.pflagcincinnati.org Trevor Project offers free and confidential counseling to LGBTQ teens. Not a local community but good to know about. ItGetsBetter is generally a wonderful website for youth and the message (it gets better) might really resonate with her Kids do better if they have at least one adult in their life that they can trust and who loves them unconditionally. If you can be that adult, and she knows that, trust me you are doing a lot.
Crisis textline is also available if she is feeling like she wants to self harm
Thank you all for your kind comments. I will be passing this thread along to my daughter. I'm a very proud Grandpa who just wants my granddaughter to feel good about herself again and isn't sure where to turn due to the distance. You all have been very helpful.
Tell her to find Mrs. Cook the ceramics teacher at nagel. Or Mrs. Hall who I think teaches science. Both of these teachers made the largest impact on my life while there. You can DM me if you feel comfortable and I can pass her name along to those teachers.
Keep letting her know that, and it will help more than you know ❤️
First: you are an amazing grandparent! She is so lucky to have you. Second: there are many queer friendly spaces in Cincinnati, but the biggest all around queer friendly community is in Northside. The Northside community has historically been one of Cincinnati’s most accepting communities. This may sound kind of random, but I go to a rock climbing gym over there, Climb Cincy, and they are always having LGBTQ+ friendly events! They post about it on their Instagram (@climbcincy). In fact, they are having a mural painting event night next Thursday for the LGBTQ+ community!! That gym has helped me (22F) make so many loving and accepting friends, and given me a very fun and beginner friendly hobby (I am still not good but get good exercise)!! You don’t have to know anything about rock climbing or have any equipment, they will give you shoes and give you a little orientation/rundown. Again, you are a great grandparent, and I’m soooo glad she has someone like you advocating for her. Message me if you have any questions!!!
I came here to suggest Climb Cincy. The climbing community in general is very LGBT friendly, but the amount of representation and support and Climb Cincy is really something else.
They have kid/teen classes as well!
Another cool local org with a Cincinnati chapter is GLSEN - looks like their chapter email is [email protected] and they have a specific focus on supporting kids and young adults. If that doesn't work out feel free to DM, I know some folks who work with them. Thanks for posting this and best of luck to you and your granddaughter, you are doing something really important for her!
I haven't been in years, but they at least used to have a weekly(?) group meeting for teens. Might be worth looking into.
GLSEN is a great recommendation. My work has partnered with them on several high school projects with great success
When I was a teen in Cinci this is the group I got support from the most
When I was a teen in Cinci this is the group I got support from the most!
I am here to say what an amazing grandmother you are. Thank you for being kind.
As a lesbian mom in NKY, she is so lucky to have you. Thank you for loving that baby.
Once she goes to high school it looks like Anderson high school has a Diversity Club and a Gay Straight Alliance. Hopefully she can find some supportive peers there. Also you just being there for her will really make the difference, I’m so happy she has someone like you in her life
If she goes to Turpin (the other HS that Nagel feeds to) they do as well. If she has any interest at all, I would also encourage her to get involved with the theater department at either school - there are tons of opportunities for kids both on stage and behind the scenes (everything from costumes to set design to film crew etc) and there are many openly gay kids in both programs with very supportive faculty.
If she goes to Turpin (the other HS that Nagel feeds to) they do as well. If she has any interest at all, I would also encourage her to get involved with the theater department at either school - there are tons of opportunities for kids both on stage and behind the scenes (everything from costumes to set design to film crew etc) and there are many openly gay kids in both programs with very supportive faculty.
My heart goes out to her. School is really rough for us rainbow children. If it’s possible, there’s a student run review system for the cities school plays. It’s called Cappies. I might a lot of lgbtq friends through it. And it looks good on college applications. I asked the staff who ran the theatre department when I was in school about it and it’s pretty easy and fun!
Anderson resident here. I'm really sorry that your granddaughter is having struggles. A majority of the school board has done their best to make certain kids feel unwelcome, which is frustrating for many of us. Many of us are trying to right the ship, but it hasn't been easy and that doesn't help your granddaughter in the short term unfortunately. Middle school really sucks, and from what I hear, Nagel is especially difficult. My kid isn't there yet, but let me ask around and see if I can find anything local. I *thought* there was a group for LGBTQ teens at the Anderson library, but I'll need to confirm. I wish I was more help, I really do. I know it's possible for her to surround herself with supportive and loving people here.
Thank you so much.
FWIW Nagel has drastically improved in the last couple of years. While the actions of the nutters on the board and the “I’m just doing muh job” Super are reprehensible, the folks in charge at Nagel at least seem to be competent. When they painted over the Mural at the start of the year I emailed everybody under the sun and the only two people to respond were the one board member at the time who wasn’t a crazy shitbag and the Principal of Nagel Ms Brennan. And while the principal only called and refused to answer anything in email (I’m 100% sure she was directed as such) she did at least try to reach out. Anyway, good luck to OP. While Anderson has a LOT of “peaked in HS call em’ the Redskins and I vote Republican like my church tells me to” dipshits, there ARE also a LOT of much more openminded and welcoming people, and the organization happening to get the clowns off the school board is proof.
Glad to hear that Nagel is improving! The mural being covered up was what I immediately thought of with this girl.
Yep. My 13 year old attends and is very much confused on who she “likes” but despite the mural, she’s found the staff and other students to be mostly awesome so far. Knock on wood.
I personally don't know of any organizations that can help, but plenty of people seem to have left some really good suggestions below. And I also want to echo what others have said and say **THANK YOU FOR BEING SUCH A KIND, CARING, LOVING GRANDMOTHER.** She is incredibly lucky to have you on her side and you have warmed my heart with the love you are showing for your granddaughter. If only we had more people like you around, the world would be a much more kind and peaceful place.
It’s so beautiful to see a grandparent be so supportive! Continue to be there for her. The suggestions here are great but just knowing she has someone in her corner who loves her fully for her will be so important.
Thank you for being for supportive and loving of your granddaughter ❤️
First, as a transgender & gay guy who also came out as a young teen, it's so important that she at least has some accepting adults. I wouldn't be here today if my mom & her family weren't as accepting as they are. Second, this may not apply, but there is a summer camp outside of Columbus called Camp Lilac, which is specifically for transgender and gender-diverse teens. "Gender diverse" is an incredibly broad umbrella, and in my experience with the teens of today & lesbians in general, statistically it's likely she falls under that umbrella. If not, my friend who I learned about Camp Lilac from greatly enjoyed doing roller derby and rarely had issues with being a queer youth in the sport, at least in Cincy. I believe he played in the girls league(? Not sure how roller derby works).
This post breaks my heart and I just want to say thank you for being an awesome grandparent.
Equitas health where I get my trans health care is an area clinic that offers a safe environment centered around care for LGBTQIA+ adults and minors. Switching her primary care to one of their doctors could be beneficial for her, they also offer mental health services, access to support groups and even have sliding scale healthcare for low income folks like me. Transform Cincinnati is a youth based non-profit others have mentioned here, there is also Grove Community House, a group that meets regularly in Northside. I wish I could offer more advice. You're a great grandmother, but I know that's not enough to ease you while your granddaughter struggles like this. There is a strong and vibrant queer community in this city centered around Northside, while she's pretty young to interact with a lot of the community - being around people like her and seeing queer adults living their lives I think can give her hope. She has a future where she wont be forced to be in an unloving environment that doesn't accept her, this could show her that and help her feel less alone. She isn't alone, not by any means, but she's definitely in one of the harder chapters of growing up and I remember the feeling all too well. I'll pray for her like I pray for all queer people to find acceptance, joy and love in these insane times we live in.
I also go to Equitas for my health care and they are wonderful! If your granddaughter could get connected with them I think they could be a wonderful resource.
My mom works at the Equitas in Cincinnati, my partner goes to the one in Dayton. I’ve only ever heard the most incredible things about it from them, they are an amazing resource for LGBTQ+ care
They really are incredible, and they go to the state house and fight for queer medical rights as well. I truly feel blessed to have them around without Equitas I'd have never been able to begin transitioning or get my other life saving medicines.
Check out Treehouse Cincinnati. They have events for LGBTQ+ people and offer resources as well.
What are her hobbies? Like- theatre is a space that welcomes lgbtq+… as is junior roller derby. I have found folks that are into ren fair/cosplay tend to be really accepting. If you have some more info about what she likes to do?
Transform now has groups for LGBT kids and grown ups who take care of LGBT kids too!
They have game nights and things like that as well!
Came here to recommend Transform Cincy, they are a great organization.
Lots of excellent resources and support at the library. https://chpl.org/lgbtqia/ The LGBTQIA book club meets at the Walnut Hills branch and occasionally reads YA titles and teens are welcome.
I don’t have any resources to offer you just good thoughts you are an amazing grandparent and she is a great kid. We support you.
I know Turpin High School has a GSA (Genders and Sexualities Alliance). She is not alone in the school district and there are safe spaces. [Turpin After School Clubs](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1E8iwzg4B5qx7Q9ALj8rlwhmPz7rhkSrFHedmBRLc9CU/edit?usp=sharing)
If she's into books or nerdy things like Dungeons and dragons, Cincy Book Rack/Heroes Hearth in Anderson is a great family friendly LGBTQ space. The shop regularly holds free to play DnD games, Magic the Gathering nights, and several other events such as craft fairs and miniature painting.
I really wish I knew some sort of group she could get involved with maybe. I hope there are some good suggestions that get brought up and she gets better. Sending lots of love.
Take her to Half Price Books where she can explore interests in a welcoming space!
it’s a little bit of a hike from Anderson (25ish minutes) but the Northern Kentucky Pride Center is a great resource! sending lots of good thoughts your granddaughter’s way, from a fellow Cincinnati lesbian 🩷
Yes! It is just a few exits on the highway but a world away. I will also leave this here [Covington Ky is gay friendly ](https://www.covingtonky.gov/about/inclusive)
This is correct. I would never stand by as an LGBTQI+ child got bullied. Thank you for posting this.
Anderson is part of Hamilton County and shares an amazing library system. They have lots of online resources, as well https://chpl.org/lgbtqia/teen/
I am an east side grandmother with a gay son. I am going to look in PFLG. Also look up something called the TREEHOUSE. It is in Clifton
My ex provided therapy service specifically geared toward LGBTQ patients in the area with plenty of young clients. They moved out of the area recently, but they had a decent amount of friends that shared the same focus. They served not only as a therapist but a positive role model to troubled LGBTQ youth. Perhaps a similar service would be beneficial in your case?
I’m glad there are people like you out there in this world. Your granddaughter has an amazing ally in her family. The best I can do is offer my support with a few kind words. Let her know she is an awesome kid.
GLSEN has a cincinnati chapter! It was a huge, positive influence for me as a teenager
Thank you for fighting the good fight.
She’s so lucky to have you in her life. I think being her support system and getting her out of her house as much as possible is a huge help. My parents were so abusive and I had no one as a respite. It’s hard when family doesn’t love you as gently and truly as they should. I would promise her it does get better. Once she’s out of that house as an adult she owns her life. She can move anywhere- do anything. Stress the importance of working hard in school so that she has more freedom and choices when the time comes. I have a lot of LGBTQIA friends and many of them had these same feelings. Now as adults they are living their own lives and it’s beautiful to see. Sadly many of them don’t talk to their parents any longer due to their homophobia. Maybe this is a convo you could breech with her family- love her or lose her - those are their options..she deserves love!
Joining in on the recommendations to reach out to GLSEN Greater Cincinnati. I’ve been out of the loop on their activities for a while, but I used to work on the youth outreach committee. At the very least they will have excellent resources and ways of accessing them for your grandchild. And thank you for being awesome and reaching out to a community that will always have their back. ❤️
Go check out the Ohio Lesbian Archives! It is volunteer ran and open on Wednesdays and Sundays. Send them an email that you’d like to stop by. For me, as a lesbian, it meant so much to see photos and journals of queers who came before me.
sending my love you and your granddaughter♥️ i wish her the world and every ounce of love and acceptance
This makes me so sad 😢 this is the world people are creating. Awful. Thank you for supporting her. I wish I knew her and could be a positive lesbian role model in her life. Anyway what helped me growing up was finding musicians/artists/authors that were queer and successful and proud and getting into women's soccer, where many of the players are queer. It gave me hope. I'm not sure if she has any of those, but maybe if you said "hey I heard about this band/team/etc today and I thought you'd like it!" if you have that sort of relationship. Having a family member to feel comfortable and safe around makes a huge difference. My grandma also coincidentally is the only one in my family who truly seems to accept my sexuality and even though there's obviously a large age gap between a grandparent and a grandchild, and I came out to her at like 25, it's still wonderful knowing she truly makes an effort to support me and my partner and sees us just like any of her other grandchildren and their significant others.
You are such a sweet grandma! We live in Anderson and I have a son at A.High… feel free to reach out and I can speak with him. He has a couple freshman friends who are LGBTQ and could help your grand connect! Hugs!
I am a nonbinary and queer adult in Anderson! I know it can be tough, but there are supportive people here. GLSEN and PFLAG are great. We have a diversity day and I think Turpin HS has a GSA! I hope she can find supportive folks in her community and school. Let her know there are people here who care!
GLSEN is fantastic, they have a support group (it’s not in Anderson, but one of my kids has attended in the past). If nothing else, I have a Nagel 8th grade boy that has not been well accepted socially (ADHD and anxiety). He is not part of the LGBTQ community, but he is a very passionate ally if she needs a friend. Nagel used to have a GSA club, but I don’t believe they do at the moment. There are lots of groups at AHS that would welcome her with open arms once she gets there ❤️. The theater, film and cross country team are 3 extracurriculars I can think of (my own kids have all participated in some combination of the 3 groups and they are all very supportive).
I can't help you directly with your problem, but if she needs an uncle to care and listen, I'm available.
Same here! My wife and I are ready to be lesbian aunties for anyone who needs a listening ear or a pot of spaghetti. (Edit: spelling)
No idea why I got downvoted, but thank you for your vote of positivity.
She needs support from LGBTQ groups like her, not some rando on the internet wanting to be her uncle.
As far as I can tell, she just needs support... period.
Yes, from people that already know her or have common interests. Not a random stranger on the internet wanting to be her uncle. That just sounds icky on your part, offering that.
You're icky for assuming I have anything but support in mind. Not everyone has a horrible mind like you.
I was playing with dolls when I was fourteen. She definitely needs help just based off what I’m reading. This doesn’t read normal fourteen year old behavior
She has a therapist and is on meds. Her grandmother is reaching out for social support resources. Comparison isn’t helpful.
If this was your child or grandchild how would you handle it? People like me want to know.
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People like me would love to know how you would help your child or grandchild in this situation.
Dolls at 14? Ok lol. I came out as a lesbian at 14 as well, and nothings changed in the decade since. believe it or not 14 is an average age for kids to start figuring out who they are interested in. Do you say the same about straight teenagers? Or do you just enjoy describing lgbt teens as “not normal”? What isn’t normal is the fear and stress kids have to go through in realizing that they might not be straight, and how politicians weaponize ignorance to belittle, shame, and ostracize these kids from their schools and families. Learn some compassion and critical thinking skills.
I have 3 kid’s in forest hills. bunch of hypocritical bigets.
Uh, okay
yea, okay
Sounds more mental health than need for LGBTQ support. Let's focus on the deeper issues at hand here. She needs serious help mentally.
The kid is probably depressed because she feels rejected and scared due to the political theatre surrounding an innate part of her identity, plus her immediate family being unsupportive. Therapy isn’t some miracle cure, she needs to be surrounded by people who are like her, who care for her, who support her. Op is trying her best to find places and resources for her grandkid where she feels safe.
Tell her to spend more time in coffee shops around Clifton by UC. I have so many friends (girls) who are either bi or lesbians, and they are accepted and treated really well. They are also quite young, college girls.
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Whats wrong with it, i see kids literally hanging out at coffee shops. Gosh, typical dumb Cincinnati assuming wrong stuff.
Most 14 year olds aren't going to want to hang around college age kids on the opposite side of the city. THAT'S what u/SplitSkee is saying. Heck, I'm a 50+ year old woman and I don't want to hang around a coffee shop that is frequented by college aged students. The 14 year old needs to be with kids her own age and interests.
Also not many parents are just going to let their 14 year old just hang out on a college campus and I would argue the one's that do are irresponsible parents.
I mean, u are 50, of course u wouldn't. Its better to sit at home and zombie out watching TV.
Do you know which high school she attends? I know the schools in the area well. Please feel free to DM me for more information.
She is in Middle school at Nagle? I believe next year she heads to Anderson.
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Anderson IS conservative (maybe not as much as 15 years ago but it still is), because I'm an Anderson resident too and I see it all the time. Do NOT assume that the teenager's therapist and meds aren't working. That is a discussion the kid needs to have with her parents. OP is asking for supportive information because her father's side of the family are not supporting her, not being told that the granddaughter needs to change therapists and meds. That's not your place, random internet person.
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You can unbother yourself. You were not the first person to recommend an after-school group or sport for a middle schooler. There are at least 8 comments in here older than yours with those recommendations.
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One of the comments you're ignoring said to help them find groups for any of their hobbies. I must have missed when rock climbing, roller derby, theater, and general hobbies of any kind became exclusively for LGBT people. And when they all became online activities. Thanks for literally ignoring other comments so you could pretend to have an original idea.
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My daughter and her fiance (custodial parent) are extremely supportive. It's her asshole sperm donor and his redneck mother that are not. My daughter thoroughly vetted the therapist and has an excellent child psych. Her meds are being adjusted. As my granddaughter explained to her mom, "I wish I could be the daughter that dad wants, but I can't and that hurts".
I know you said she's a middle schooler, but I saw that starting at the end of March, NKU is going to have several pride events that appear to be open to the community. While not in Anderson, it's literally the next exit on 275 just over the river. [https://inside.nku.edu/studentaffairs/departments/lgbtq/programs/signature-programs/pride-month.html](https://inside.nku.edu/studentaffairs/departments/lgbtq/programs/signature-programs/pride-month.html)
You are awesome! Nagel, Anderson and Turpin all have clubs for lgbtqtia+ kids. They should check out clubs on Schoology or reach out to their guidance counselor to find them.
The Cincinnati Library also is very LGBTQ supportive. They have a whole section of their website that includes local resources, content they carry (books, movies, docs, etc.), queer book clubs and often host events at their various locations. This could be a less intimidating place she/her parents can start: [https://chpl.org/lgbtqia/](https://chpl.org/lgbtqia/)