We are pleased to welcome Tess Ulrey of St. Joseph, Michigan as the new executive director at CRHE – a groundbreaking hire for the organization as the first full-time, permanent ED in CRHE’s 12-year history! Learn more about her here: responsiblehomeschooling.org/our-team/

Were you homeschooled in Wisconsin? Join this unique opportunity to share your story!

Those are all of our questions for today! Reminder: even if you found today's #HomeschoolChat after it ended, feel free to answer the questions anyway. Be the first to know about the next #HomeschoolChat. Join our mailing list: responsiblehomeschooling.org/take-action/

Rallying our community to stand up for our rights. Creating life-changing resources for survivors. Training professionals to support at-risk children. Your gift of any amount today directly supports our one-of-a-kind work. #HomeschoolChat

Q4: What’s your message to LGBTQ+ homeschooled kids who are dealing with an unaccepting environment at home? #HomeschoolChat

Nothing whatsoever.

Q3: How can extended family members, friends, and community members best support the LGBTQ+ homeschooled kids in their lives? #HomeschoolChat

Q2: What were you taught about LGBTQ+ history, culture, and identity as a homeschooled kid? #HomeschoolChat

It's time for the June #HomeschoolChat!

It took a long time to accept all parts of myself #homeschoolchat

A1: I believe that homeschooling both enhanced and limited my ability to be myself. The parts of myself that aligned with my cultural background (white evangelicalism) flourished under homeschooling. The other parts had to be repressed for fear of punishment.

Q1: If you were homeschooled and part of the LGBTQ+ community, how did being homeschooled impact your ability to be yourself? #HomeschoolChat

A few notes before we get started: - Focus on listening to and learning from people who were homeschooled - Give other people space to speak openly about their own experiences - Start your responses with A1, A2, etc. and end with #HomeschoolChat

#HomeschoolChat lasts around an hour. If you join after the chat ends, that's OK! Please feel free to answer the questions whenever you like. We encourage you to continue these important discussions beyond the chat.

About us: We're the Coalition for Responsible Home Education, a nonprofit that advocates for kids who are homeschooled. We host #HomeschoolChat to give formerly homeschool adults space to connect, talk about their experiences, and recommend ways to help kids. Thank you for being here.

Hello, and welcome to #HomeschoolChat, a discussion by homeschooled people, for homeschooled people. Today, we’re going to talk about our experiences within the LGBTQ+ and homeschool communities.

Join us in one hour for our Pride Month #HomeschoolChat!

“[A]s it expands its power, the parental rights movement is resisting efforts to impose minimal constraints in order to protect children from harm. Take, for example, this year’s battle over homeschooling regulation in Illinois.”

Earlier this year, we got homeschool survivor stories in front of the Supreme Court of the United States via an amicus brief. And we’re just getting started. Your gift today helps us be the voice for homeschooled kids in courts and capitol buildings:

By homeschooled people, for homeschooled people 🫂 Join us here this Wednesday, June 25, at 7 p.m. ET for #HomeschoolChat, an online discussion for formerly homeschooled adults. The topic: LGBTQ+ issues. See you then!

A community fired up about children’s rights. A workforce ready to help at-risk kids. A generation empowered to thrive. We’re working towards a brighter future for homeschooled people — and we need your help to get there: responsiblehomeschooling.org/summer-2025-...

As a 100% homeschooled person, I spend plenty of time thinking about the implications and systems dynamics of homeschooling. This space looks healthy and important

CRHE does great work, y’all should pick up a monthly recurring donation if you have the means. responsiblehomeschooling.org/support-crhe/ #HomeschoolChat

This was the first #HomeschoolChat we've done in over two years. And the first ever on Bluesky, a space where we're just starting to find our footing. The participation today was off the charts. I'm thrilled that we're able to connect with our community again this way. Thank y'all so much.

Yay! Thanks for hosting @responsiblehs.bsky.social Hello to all the new friends I just made 👋

Be the first to know the next time we host a #HomeschoolChat or another online event. Join our mailing list today: responsiblehomeschooling.org/take-action/

Those are all of our questions for today. Thank you for taking part in our first #HomeschoolChat on Bluesky! We appreciate each of you for being here and sharing your experiences with us.

Also, dogs. Fostering a bunch of dogs has made my mental health much better lol

A5: One thing that helps my mental health is volunteering. It’s easy to spiral into hopelessness when I think about how bad things are, but taking action, even in small ways, reminds me that I’m not powerless. Contributing gives me purpose and helps me feel connected. #HomeschoolChat

Mostly I acknowledge when my mental health isn't great and do the work I need to do that I can feel better & function well. I didn't do that growing up and it's hard sometimes, but I'm learning to validate myself and accept that sometimes I just need some extra help. #homeschoolchat

EMDR is awesome. So are the right meds. I've been in therapy off and on. These days it's walks, painting miniatures, playing the banjo - the small set of activities that can get my brain into a relaxed flow state. A former colleague of mine does a weekly guided meditation for #firedfeds, it's great.

A5: I'm in therapy, I am medicated, and I am rigorous about keeping myself within the range of experiences that my self-regulation tools can easily work with. Life throws a lot at you but I don't have to take the bait every time. Knowing my limits has been really helpful. #HomeschoolChat

Q5: Therapy weekly! I take medication daily and live my life according to my own values. I know that my past was terrible. It shouldn't have happened. But I also know that I have to live now. I hope to do so happily. #homeschoolchat

A4: Leading by example is a good way to start. Modeling healthy parenting and being a safe person to come to without fear of judgement or repercussions. So many of us were told to not talk about what happens at home. Notice when they go silent or look uncomfortable. #HomeschoolChat

A4: I feel like everyone should be aware of the developmental delays caused by intense childhood indoctrination and understand these delays are often desired by the parents. Be supportive of these kids by focusing on them being unique individuals and not just extensions of their parents.

Q5: How do you take care of your mental health today? #HomeschoolChat

Spend time with them. Encourage their parents to put them in activities and ask the kids about their friends and what they are learning in school. #HomeschoolChat

Also, telling them its okay to be LGBTQ+!

A4: Listen to them and validate their concerns. Support their interests. Encourage them to go after their goals and dreams. Invite them places. Make sure they know you're thinking of them and have their best interest in mind. #HomeschoolChat

A3: it’s hard to even know how to answer this bc the problem was rooted in the theology that humans/children are sinful and the only solution is to obey God/the church. I wish there was some kind of mental health oversight but my parents would have rejected it anyways. #homeschoolchat

A4 pt 2: also let them know by saying it out loud that you enjoy being in their presence. Praise them and show them that the world is kind #homeschoolchat

A3: Talking to a therapist and especially support from adults outside the religious group. #HomeschoolChat

A3: 1/ De-stigmatizing things like neurodivergence/mental health and queerness so that I could figure myself out sooner. Being given more to look forward to than being a tradwife front porch cosmetologist, or missionary. #HomeschoolChat

Just show up, address children as people, model kindness and respect, provide opportunities to get out in the community. The folks who hosted language classes, pool time, etc. in my homeschooling group weren't all as controlling as my parents, but my parents thought they were safe. That helped.

A2: Mental health was a heart problem. Poor mental health meant you weren’t right with God. We didn’t believe in “mental health” as a medical issue — therapists and psychiatrists were treated with suspicion. “Biblical counselors” (usually a pastor) were suggested instead. #HomeschoolChat