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Book Review: Mom, Dad. I'm Gay: How Families Negotiate Coming Out. By Ritch C. Savin-Williams. American Psychological Association, Washington, DC, 2001, 276 pp., $39.95 Mom, Dad. I'm Gay: How Families Negotiate Coming Out. By Ritch C. Savin-Williams. American Psychological Association, Washington, DC, 2001, 276 pp., $39.95.
This is the latest of five books that Savin-Williams has written on adolescent development. In the introduction, he states that "this book is intended for sexual-minority youths and their families and for those who care for them." The book is based on interviews of 86 young men and 78 young women. Savin-Williams states his two central purposes are "to demonstrate the vast diversity in the life experiences that sexual-minority youths have with families and to document the inherent resiliency and mental health of sexual-minority youths."
The book is neatly divided into nine well-referenced chapters, with the central chapters providing details regarding the following dyadic pairs: Daughters and Mothers, Daughters and Fathers, Sons and Mothers, and Sons and Fathers. Because these chapters explore the personal experiences of the interviewed youth, with vignettes in their own words, the feelings expressed are very powerful. For a youth who is struggling with the decision to come out to his/her parents, reading through the appropriate dyadic chapter will help normalize the struggle and provide a more realistic gauge about whether coming out now would be in his or her best interest.
For the mental health professional, Chapter 8 is a "must read"-"Negotiating Healthy RelationshipsAmong Family Members." This chapter summarizes the findings reported in the previous chapters, including boxed highlights in the form of "Study Findings," "Advice toYouths," and "Advice to Parents." Reading just these highlights will make one feel informed and draws one into reading the...