First we would like to acknowledge how difficult of a position you are in. It’s wonderful that you have found a partner, and it is a natural next step to want to introduce this new person to your family. At the same time it is painful to feel like you can’t be fully yourself around people whom you love, such as your grandparents. If your grandparents aren’t already aware of your sexual identity, perhaps you might consider having a conversation with them ahead of time before you introduce them to your girlfriend, or to start by introducing her to a family member who is accepting of your identity. Ultimately it will be your choice whether you share this part of your life with your grandparents, but remember to take care of yourself in the process. As much as we might like to change the minds of people we care about, it is not always an easy thing to do and the most important thing is that you have positive and supportive people around you who make you feel safe and proud of who you are.
Our health guides are developed through a systematic, rigorous process to ensure accuracy, reliability, and trustworthiness. Written and reviewed by experienced healthcare clinicians from Boston Children's Hospital, a Harvard Medical School teaching hospital and consistently ranked as a top hospital by Newsweek and U.S. News & World Report, these guides combine clinical expertise, specialized knowledge, and evidence-based medicine. We also incorporate research and best practices from authoritative sources such as the CDC, NIH, PubMed, top medical journals, and UpToDate.com. Clinical specialists and subject matter experts review and edit each guide, reinforcing our commitment to high-quality, factual, scientifically accurate health information for young people.