LEWES — Youths struggling to express their gender identity, or to feel comfortable with that identity, face unique social challenges and so do their parents and loved ones.
To assist with these complex matters, Jewish Family Services Delaware recently organized a pair of support programs, one for young people and the other for adults, called the Affirmation Project.
Both meet online once a week, and there is no charge.
The next support group is scheduled to begin in August. To register or to learn more about the agency’s other mental health services, visit jfsdelaware.org or call 302-478-9411.
“We’re covering a lot of stuff — LGBTQ history, the parents’ journey, how to support kids, holding family conversations, how to make connections with the child,” said James Buckley, one of the Affirmation Project group leaders.
Added Rebecca McAdams, clinical supervisor of the group, “All the parents participating love and accept their children. It’s a fluid journey, trying to figure out what we’re doing more authentically.”
As with any new program, the start has been slow, Ms. McAdams said. As of late spring, there were six parents participating. But she expects numbers to increase steadily as awareness grows.
Programs like this one may become more prevalent as increasing numbers of individuals identify as members of marginalized communities, she added.
In 2021, according to the Statista data platform, 7.4% of Delaware’s adult population identified as members of the LGBTQ community. Nationally, adults identifying that way increased from 3.5% of the population in 2012 to 7.7% in 2023.
The Affirmation Project, like other JFS Delaware support groups, is free of charge. The agency also offers fee-based individual therapy sessions, but financial assistance is often available for the uninsured or underinsured.
