Episode 185

Traveling While Queer: How to Keep Family Vacations Safe & Affirming

Would your next family vacation make your LGBTQ+ child feel affirmed or anxious?

Whether you're planning a road trip or flying internationally, traveling with an LGBTQ+ child brings unique emotional and safety needs. This episode explores how to turn travel into a safe, empowering experience for your entire family.

  • Learn what to pack so your LGBTQ+ child feels seen, grounded, and supported
  • Get expert tips on researching inclusive destinations, events, and accommodations
  • Discover tools and apps that help ensure emotional safety and legal awareness while abroad

Press play to feel confident and prepared when traveling with your LGBTQ+ teen—wherever your next adventure takes you.

RESOURCE SPOTLIGHT

Website: International LGBTQ+ Travel Association (IGLTA)

Why it matters: IGLTA provides free resources, LGBTQ+ inclusive guides, safety information, and vetted travel partners for queer travelers and their families.

Other tools:

  • GeoSure App (iOS & Android) – Real-time LGBTQ safety ratings
  • Equaldex – Country-specific legal and social climate for LGBTQ+ people
  • Trans Travel Checklist by National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org

Hi, I’m Heather Hester, and I’m so glad you’re here!

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At the heart of my work is a deep commitment to compassion, authenticity, and transformative allyship, especially for those navigating the complexities of parenting LGBTQ+ kids. Through this podcast, speaking, my writing, and the spaces I create, I help people unlearn bias, embrace their full humanity, and foster courageous, compassionate connection.

If you’re in the thick of parenting, allyship, or pioneering a way to lead with love and kindness, I’m here with true, messy, and heart-warming stories, real tools, and grounding support to help you move from fear to fierce, informed action.

Whether you’re listening in, working with me directly, or quietly taking it all in—I see you. And I’m so glad you’re part of this journey.

More Human. More Kind. formerly Just Breathe: Parenting Your LGBTQ Teen is a safe and supportive podcast and space where a mom and mental health advocate offers guidance on parenting with empathy, inclusion, and open-minded allyship, fostering growth, healing, and empowerment within the LGBTQ community—including lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals—while addressing grief, boundaries, education, diversity, human rights, gender identity, sexual orientation, social justice, and the power of human kindness through a lens of ally support and community engagement.



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About the Podcast

Show artwork for More Human More Kind: Guidance for Parenting LGBTQ+ Teens & Growing Into a Courageous Ally
More Human More Kind: Guidance for Parenting LGBTQ+ Teens & Growing Into a Courageous Ally
Parenting and Ally Skills to Advocate for Your LGBTQ+ Teen with Love and Confidence

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About your host

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Heather Hester

She’s a butterfly in motion—transforming spaces, stories, and hearts. Heather Hester is a rare blend of fierce advocate and gentle guide, using her voice to build bridges across divides. As the host of *More Human. More Kind.*, author of *Parenting with Pride*, and founder of Chrysalis Mama, Heather doesn’t just speak about love, allyship, and authenticity—she *embodies* them.

Her superpower? Turning complex, messy truths into clear, compassionate conversations that leave you feeling empowered, curious, and just a little more human. From Substack to podcast, workshop to stage, she creates spaces where healing is possible, voices are heard, and no one stands alone.

Whether she’s amplifying marginalized stories, coaching parents through life’s pivots, or unpacking the First Amendment with a side of soul, Heather leads with purpose and heart. She’s not here for surface-level support—she’s here to change how we show up for each other.

Married to the funniest guy she’s ever known and mom to four extraordinary kids (two of whom are LGBTQ) and one sassy mini Bernedoodle, Heather is all about showing up with humor, humility, and heart. You can almost always find her with a cup of coffee in hand—at her computer, on her yoga mat, or dancing in the kitchen to her favorite playlist. She believes in being fully human, embracing the messiness, and helping others do the same.