How to Explain Pride Month to Your Kids

Do you know what Pride Month is, but don't know how to explain it to your kids?

It can be difficult to find the right words for this subject. However, there are many things that children should learn about in regards to pride month and LGBTQ rights.

Pride month is a time to learn about LGBTQ, enjoy the celebration and have some fun. 

LGBTQ rights are a topic that isn't always easy to talk about with children, but it's important they understand what this means in relation to pride month.

So to help, here are some important things to teach your children about pride month and LGBTQ rights.

So What Does LGBTQ Stands For?

LGBTQ stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender.

During pride month you may see some LGBTQ people wearing rainbow flags or other symbols to show their support for the cause.

The rainbow flags originated from a flag designed in the 1970s by artist Gilbert Baker. One of his original designs was a red stripe at top and bottom, with two blue stripes on either side of them, and one yellow stripe sat right in the middle.

This design eventually became the emblem for gay pride when it was adopted as a symbol of the LGBTQ rights movement.

Pride Month starts in June each year as LGBT people remember it was back in 1969 when police raided Stonewall Inn nightclubs because of their illegal liquor sales but they wouldn't take no for an answer.

They stood up against oppression by fighting with them until authorities were forced to leave. This lead to drag queens like Marsha P Johnson who would later become one of Pride's most important figures being free from persecution.

It has been over 50 years since and every day we are closer than ever before on achieving equality.

So now more than ever it's imperative that kids know all there is to lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender individuals.

What does Pangender mean?

Pangender is a term for people who feel that they cannot be labeled as female or male in gender.

This specifically means the person identifies with all genders, which has been declared by many members of the community to create an inclusive space for everyone and anyone out there.

What Is Pride Month?

Pride Month is both a joyful celebration and a serious political reminder that LGBTQ people are here, present, and deserve the same rights as everyone else.

It's a great experience for all ages to take part in - be they proud of their sexuality or supporting someone who identifies with LGBTQ.

Pride Month is a time for people to feel pride and love within themselves, as well as celebrate those in their lives who have been supportive of them.

Why Do We Call It Pride?

Pride, an acronym that stands for Personal Rights in Defense and Education.

It was started by the LGBTQ community with personal rights in mind but has since taken on different meanings relating to how people feel about their achievements or best qualities which brings us back around full circle: pride can also mean "the consciousness of one's own dignity".

Members worked tirelessly toward equal representation within society despite facing extensive discrimination themselves due to being classified as LGBT.

How Has Pride Changed Over Time?

Pride started as a political march. It has grown and changed over time, along with the changes to LGBTQ community and visibility of equal rights being realized.

With more people celebrating Pride than ever before, it's now often called "a parade."

The signs signifying the ongoing fight for equality are still present at parades today but have also evolved into something that celebrates all aspects of who they are in various communities throughout society.

This is all while continuing educating about homophobia or transphobia issues around acceptance by friends/family members or discrimination from employers.

Photo by Tanushree Rao on Unsplash

Why Is Pride So Important?

Coming out to family and friends is an emotional process in itself.

The pride celebration provides a welcoming environment for LGBTQ individuals who are not yet comfortable with their sexuality or want time away from the pressures of society that do not accept them.

This safe space allows people to be open about themselves without fear of being judged by others as they celebrate what makes them unique.

What Does the LGBTQ Flag Mean?

The rainbow flag has been a symbol for the Pride Movement throughout the years and months, not just during June.

Designed by Gilbert Baker to fly at San Francisco's Gay Freedom Celebration, it is said that each color of the original eight-striped flag had something different to represent.

Pink representing sexuality and red signifying life among other things.

And as gay rights activism has expanded over time so too have these colors have grown: pink and blue are now representative of transgender people while black and brown stand for Black & LatinX communities respectively on this most recent version which also includes an eighth stripe (a white one) designed specifically to be more inclusive than ever before.

How Families and Kids Can Celebrate Pride

Pride Month is a time to celebrate and show support for the LGBTQ community.

Every year, celebrations take place all over the world--and you don't have to be LGBTQ yourself in order to participate.

They are always looking forward to this exciting month of celebration with loved ones every June, but there are many great ways that your family can get involved too.

#What If They Still Have Questions?

If your kids still have questions about pride after reading this post there are many different resources such as:

- www.youngstonewall.org.uk  and www.theproudtrust.org/for-young-people

It is important that you are open and honest with them so they know what pride means for the LGBTQ community, while still respecting their own individual beliefs.

As long as you don't make it weird, there are many ways to discuss this topic with your kids and give them an understanding of what pride is all about.

What If They Think They Belong to the LGBTQ Community?

There are a few things you can do if your kid thinks they should be part of this community:

Note: We are not experts and this is for general informational purposes.

- Listen to them and let them know you are always there for support.

- Make sure they have access to other resources such as books, websites, or friends who can help talk through their feelings.

- You could also take your child down an activity that will allow them to meet different people from the LGBTQ community. This way they'll be able to find out on their own that they don't need to be part of the community.

Wrapping Up

If you want to teach your kids about Pride Month, it's important to keep in mind that a lot of the words they hear may not be familiar.

It's good to talk with them and answer their questions so they can feel like part of the conversation.

You can explain to them what LGBTQ means, and then you can tell them why it's important.

Explain to your child that the LGBTQ community is proud of who they are because pride means being happy with yourself no matter what other people think.

It's also important to explain to them why it's called "Pride" month. I explain what this means earlier in this post.

You can also tell them about the rainbow flag, and how it's a symbol of pride for LGBTQ people to display when they need support.

It's important to keep in mind that Pride Month is not just an American thing; there are countries around the world celebrating it too!

Depending on how far you want to take their education, you may want to show them the documentary "The Last Quilt" about an LGBTQ quilter who is teaching kids in kindergarten how to sew. This should help explain Pride Month and why it's important for all of us, not just adults.

There are also peaceful marches that take place in virtually every large city and town throughout the UK.

Main image by Divya Agrawal