Dear Abby: Millennial finds happiness within LGBTQ+ community but longs for family acceptance

DEAR ABBY: I’m new to the LGBTQ+ community and finding it tough. I’m torn between living a happy life or being around my family, who don’t 100% accept me as bisexual/asexual and involved with a transgender female. My new partner and I are happy together, but my family doesn’t approve that I’m finally feeling happy and accepted by someone who values me for me.

My partner and I want to eventually move to another state where we can live a happier life together, if and when the time comes. I want to live free from stress and drama. I battle daily with bad triggers in my personal life with no escape. How can I be happy and have my family support me, even if it doesn’t make them happy? -- BI MILLENNIAL IN PENNSYLVANIA

DEAR BI MILLENNIAL: You have a right to a stress-free life. Because your given family isn’t accepting, you may have to build a chosen family for yourself. If you live in a community with a LGBTQ community center -- or one nearby -- start by contacting it. If you don’t, go online and find a LGBTQ+ support group to help you through this.

Another source of support for yourself and your partner would be PFLAG, (pflag.org). It also helps bridge the gap in families struggling to communicate and understand gay, bi and transgender family members. With education comes understanding. If, however, this isn’t possible, the healthiest thing for you to do would be to move to a place where you can feel accepted for who you are.

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Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.