ABSTRACT
Amazingly, many queer kids and their families navigate the issue of sexual orientation with little need of outside assistance. Any counseling with youths may be complicated by the secretiveness of many adolescents and their unwillingness to confide in adults. The adolescent process of self-acceptance and sell-celebration can be complicated for a queer youth. Queer kids must endure a forced heterosexual socialization. The goal of restoration of positive self-worth can be accomplished by helping youths clarify their sexual orientation and offering healthy opportunities for ego-enhancing socialization and the development of trust and intimacy skills. Helping professionals should create an environment that affirms a youth's identity and fosters identity integration. Counselors should help youths explore their sexuality. Research and clinical experience demonstrates that queer kids benefit from two types of information. First, they need accurate and complete information on human sexuality. Second, they need to hear a consistent message of support and of their worth as an individual.
