With the financial support of the Black Sea Trust for Regional Cooperation, the Right Side Human Rights Defender NGO organized a meeting that brought together LGBTIQ people, their parents, and family members, with the aim of fostering an environment of solidarity, overcoming conflicts in families and building stronger parent-child relationships. 

Researches conducted in recent years show that almost half of LGBTIQ adults around the world are estranged from their families, and one-third believe that their parents will never be able to accept them. As members of a society living with a traditional value system, LGBTIQ people in Armenia also face difficulties in telling their parents about their sexual orientation or gender identity, parents often reject their children’s gender identity, gender self-expression, and sexual orientation, which unfortunately sometimes leads to relationship breakdown.

During the event, panel discussions were held to share personal experiences and stories, during which both LGBTIQ people and their parents had the opportunity to speak about the difficulties they faced in their families. Parents mentioned that sometimes they are not prepared to respond appropriately to the unique needs and challenges of their LGBTIQ children, even though they want to help them.

LGBTIQ people generally prefer to maintain a relationship with their parents, even if the parents reject their identity, but they need conflict management and crisis response skills to maintain the relationship. These discussions provided a platform for LGBTIQ individuals and their parents to share their struggles, hopes, and achievements, creating a safe space where they could find support from others who share their challenges.

By organizing meetings as such, the Right Side Human Rights Defender NGO gives great importance to establishing harmony in LGBTIQ families and building stronger relationships between parents and their LGBTIQ children by promoting inclusion and creating dialogue.

August 3, 2023 Armenia, Yerevan