June is Pride Month
June is LGBTQ+ Pride Month. We are here to help you promote awareness, celebrate, and provide examples on how to be a fantastic ally!
Here at Common Ground, we love every member of our community. All are welcome here! Because educators are a foundational part of a student’s life, we do everything we can to support them with love, understanding, and humility. That last one is super important, because it stems from the simple truth that we never stop learning, especially as educators. Once we have decided we know everything, the world keeps turning along without us.
Our children look to us to teach them how to be the best people they can be. Kindness, openness, acceptance, these are the tools that help them navigate the world with love and, in turn, help to shape the world into a more beautiful, gentle place. I would hope that my children are better than me, and that their children after them are better than that. We must always be growing, changing, learning.
Our LGBTQ+ friends have faced so much adversity. Our children learn from early ages how people are supposed to dress, what they are supposed to look like, how they should act, and it shapes their perceptions before they even understand what the ramifications of those perceptions. I have heard three year olds on the playground tell their friends that “only girls wear pink” or “you can’t play with us, the boys are over there.” Little children constantly look for guidance on how to act, they pick up on social cues and paradigms so much earlier than you could ever imagine.
How do we combat this? Reading to them. Answering their questions. Changing our vocabulary and helping to educate them. Simply admitting that we don’t know everything, but that our love is boundless, uncompromising. It allows them to feel free to explore their world without fear, leaving wonder in its wake.
Educate Yourself:
The Trevor Project offers free education on how to support youths, and offers support to those who need it. They also offer news and information about the state of LBGTQ+ kids and what they need.
Introspection and Self Awareness:
Be aware of your gender biases.
Do you hesitate to allow your kids to wear certain colors or themes? Why? Are you afraid they’ll be made fun of? Are you uncomfortable? Explore those feelings within yourself.
Do you find yourself suggesting certain shows or books to your children/students/etc. based on their sex? Is there anything in their books or shows that enforce gender stereotypes or even passively utilize homophobia as humor? These moments can often be teaching moments, if we catch them in ourselves or in others.
Do you find yourself trying to discourage gendered imaginative play? Children explore their world and try to discover/practice what they’ve learned through imaginative play. Consider what you’re teaching them when you try to guide their games through your biases.
Consider the behavior of others.
Once you have considered your own language and biases, consider those people who interact with your children. Do they exhibit any of the gendered language above? Do you allow it because of the source? Remember your children are watching what you do.
If there is resistance from a friend, a family member, a teacher, to avoiding teasing, consider speaking with them consistently rather than changing your child’s behavior/outfit/etc. Even if they don’t, your child will see you support them, and will support others that same way.
Small, Everyday Support
Add your preferred pronouns in your signature line. It normalizes the practice.
Use people’s chosen names and pronouns. If you are corrected on someone’s pronouns, thank them and move on.
Instead of “boys and girls” say “people/folks/friends/students/kids.”
Support local LGBTQ+ businesses, artists, entrepreneurs, non-profits, etc.
Stand firm in these beliefs and don’t keep silent.
Stay aware of how LGBTQ+ youths are being affected by the local school system, in local politics. Become their advocate with your money, your voice, your vote.
Kid-Friendly Media to Consume together: Did you know that a beloved character in a book can have the same empathetic effect on a person as a real life friend? Stories have power, and sharing them with your children can help them have an awareness of the world around them that they wouldn’t normally have.
Julian is a Mermaid: An imaginative and insightful book that captivates the imagination while showing, without a doubt, that boys make beautiful mermaids too.
Prince and Knight: This is the cutest, most incredible picture book. It’s one of my absolute favorites. It is a rhyming story about a prince whose parents are struggling to find him a partner to rule the kingdom. But when a dragon threatens his kingdom and he races to the rescue, perhaps he finds what he’s been looking for all his life…
Steven Universe: A hilarious, fun, adventure cartoon that introduces a lot of complex concepts of identity and love in charming, bite sized pieces. You’ll find yourself singing along to the amazing songs that encourage self-love and confidence. It also covers issues like anxiety, fear of failure, and unconventional families.
Mommy, Mama, and Me: A sweet picture book for young readers that helps show that a family isn’t just a mommy and a daddy.
Pink is for Boys: A fun picture book about smashing down gender stereotypes!
The House in the Cerulean Sea: This is a chapter book for older children and young adults. It is one of my personal favorite books ever. The story is fantastical with laugh-out-loud moments. The message is wholesome: Who you are is enough.
A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo: The story is so sweet and the illustrations are so cute.
How are some other ways we can widen our impact in the community? How are some other ways we can support our students? What are some other ways we can talk about these issues with our children? We would love to hear from you.
Love, Love, Love,
Your CG Family