The best initial response from parents is to "give their child a hug, to say that you love them," said Kathy Godwin, board vice president for the organization PFLAG, which supports the LGBT community and helps to educate parents, families and friends.
"And then you can follow up and say, 'You know, I don't know everything I need to know, so give me a moment and some time, and with your help we'll both go through this journey,' " Godwin says.
While each situation will be different, a parent should first reassure a child "that you have their back and that you love them unconditionally," says Elijah C.