June is pride month, with rainbows everywhere celebrating the diversity of the LGBTQ+ community, so here is a compilation of resources for facilitating family friendly conversations on LGBTQ+ themes.
LGBTQ+ What?
LGBTQ is the initialism that stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer. Adding the + makes it inclusive to asexual, pansexual, pangender and other terms used to describe the rainbow spectrum of human sexuality and gender identity. (You can find detailed definitions of these terms here) This list is long and constantly evolving. There’s no point trying to memorize it all, the important thing is to be respectful of the terms that people prefer.
What is pride?
Definition from wikipedia: “Gay pride or LGBT pride is the positive stance against discrimination and violence toward lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people to promote their self-affirmation, dignity, equality rights, increase their visibility as a social group, build community, and celebrate sexual diversity and gender variance. Pride, as opposed to shame and social stigma, is the predominant outlook that bolsters most LGBT rights movements throughout the world.”
Why pride?
Because as a heteronormative culture (we assume heterosexuality is the default) LGBTQ+ individuals are at higher risk of experiencing threats of violence, barriers to education and employment, risk of homelessness, and mental health issues. It is important to take a positive stance in support of our LGBTQ+ community.
Don’t assume your kid is straight
As parents we have the unique opportunity to begin dismantling heteronormativity for future generations. Too often, teens who come out to their parents are rejected or even thrown out, leading to alarming rates of homelessness among LGBTQ+ youth. Children who grow up in a family that doesn’t assume heterosexuality as the default are more likely to feel loved and accepted through any evolutions of their identity. Mykidisgay.com is a wonderful resource.
Normalize the rainbow!
More powerful than corporations rainbow washing their packaging for the month of June are the parents who take a positive stance against discrimination by normalizing LGBTQ+ themes within their family. Put a gender twist on your kids favorite fairy tale, read books featuring a diverse cast of characters. If you are confused about how to talk to children about homosexuality without necessarily talking about sex watch this video.
Resources:
Videos:
The youtube channel Queer Kid Stuff has a great video series explaining LGBTQ+ themes in child-friendly language with catchy songs and a cute puppet. I don’t believe that a video is ever a good substitute for a conversation but this series is a good way to get that conversation started.
Books:
Our public library has a list of picture books featuring LGBTQ+ themes and characters. And here is another great list of books.
Happy pride month!
