Answers to questions teens, parents and allies ask, drawn from the Straight Friendly podcast and content. Every answer links to the original episode.
How do I come out?
The Hebrew podcast "Straight Friendly Israel" has two episodes on this question. In part one, a panel of four speakers of different ages and backgrounds share personal stories: early signs in the years before, the fears they had, and the moment with parents, extended family, colleagues and friends. Part two focuses on the period after: how family and friends reacted, fear versus relief, and new feelings of freedom and belonging. As the episodes put it, coming out happens differently for everyone. (Episodes in Hebrew.)
I was kicked out of my home for being LGBTQ+. What can I do?
In Israel, the podcast episode on this question says there is help: minors have Beit Dror (a shelter for LGBTQ+ youth), and young adults 18+ have options such as HaGag HaVarod, an emergency shelter for LGBTQ+ young people. Host Michael Ross talks with Yael Sinai Bibalash, director of Beit Dror, about the options open to teens in this situation. The episode stresses that this is not rare and can happen in any home. Outside Israel, see "Help now" on this page. (Episode in Hebrew.)
In the Hebrew episode "Language and meanings", host Michael Ross describes "queer" as one of his favorite terms in LGBTQ+ language: a word that moved from a slur to a word describing identity, one that sets out to break definitions and frames. In the same episode he explains why, in his view, there is no single "gay community" but many communities, because words shape how we think. (Episode in Hebrew.)
From the episode "Trans in the Business Sector": transgender people have a gender identity or gender expression that differs from the sex they were assigned at birth. Being transgender is not necessarily connected to sexual orientation: transgender people may identify as straight, gay or lesbian, bisexual, asexual, or may choose not to label their orientation at all.