Mutual socialization during shared media moments: U.S. LGBTQ teens and their parents negotiate identity support.

This article examines how social relational theory applies to mutual socialization between LGBTQ teens and their parents through shared media experiences related to the teen's identity. Using survey data from 200 U.S. LGBTQ teen–parent dyads (teens aged 13–18, all out to their participating parent), the study found that 83% of dyads reported media content prompted identity-related conversations, with teens more often mediating parents' exposure to LGBTQ media than vice versa. Teens with greater certainty about their LGBTQ identity engaged in more frequent mediation and elicited more parental mediation, while positive and frequent media interactions were associated with higher parental support for the teen's identity. The research highlights distinct family engagement profiles with LGBTQ media and suggests that the affective tone of media-based interactions influences teens' perceptions of parental support, underscoring media's role in shaping family dynamics around LGBTQ identity socialization.