How To Authentically Celebrate Pride As An Ally
For the past few weeks, people around the world have been celebrating all things queer in honor of Pride month and I love to see it! As an devoted ally, I have always done my best to support and uplift queer people, whether it’s through supporting queer-owned businesses or showing my support at the local pride parade and I am so happy to say that during my lifetime, queer rights have advanced tremendously. Sadly, for every win, there have also been several massive setbacks for the LGBTQ2S+ community. From the Don’t Say Gay bill in Florida to the recent Texas bill that is trying to ban children from drag shows, it’s safe to say that though we’ve come a long way there is still so much further to go.
When things like this happen, I actively try to avoid feelings of helplessness by asking myself “what is in my control?” and “how can I do my part to combat this adversity?”. As a mother, it is my responsibility to help change the future by openly celebrating pride with my family starting at a young age.
Celebrating Pride in a Heterosexual Household
When it comes to celebrating pride with my family, the first thing I make sure I am being 100% conscious of is that I am doing it authentically as a straight ally. I recognize that pride is not about me or my husband and I do not wish to co-opt someone else’s experience. So, how do I show my kids that I am in support of the LGBTQ2S+ community without confusing them? Here are some ways I’ve celebrated pride authentically this month with my family.
Learn your queer history and make it fun for the kids
First and foremost, it’s important that you educate yourself on queer history so that you can properly educate your children. Start by reading up on the history of pride and how it came to be and then find ways to explain it to your children in a way that is fun and interactive. For example, you can have a rainbow painting afternoon with the kids while explaining the origins of the pride flag and how it has evolved to include even more people over the years.
Consume media with LGBTQ themes
Nowadays, we are so fortunate to have so much more queer content available on streaming platforms, YouTube, and in books. Based on your children’s age, why not watch a movie that features queer characters to instill in their minds that same sex relationships are not abnormal? Once your kids get a bit older, you could always graduate to shows like RuPaul’s Drag Race to showcase the vibrant and bold artistry or queer folks. Shows like these are not only enjoyable to watch, they are highly educational on the queer experience directly from those who have lived it and continue to live it.
Go to a queer space in your community
The pride parade is a great, family-friendly way to show your support for queer people during pride! The energy is so full of love and acceptance and is a fantastic way to immerse yourself and your kids in the positive vibes that the queer community promotes. If you can’t make it to a pride parade, try and find a local drag queen story time to attend!
Invite LGBTQ community into your home to
Last but certainly not least, if you know any queer people in your life, you should have them over for a visit during pride month. This way, your children will see that queer people are just like everyone else and not just characters in television shows or sparkly creatures on pride floats. During their visit, encourage your friends to openly share their experience, whether it’s to do with their pronouns or sexuality, so that your children can learn from them directly.
Celebrating pride, especially as an ally, is more important than ever. I hope these ideas can help you to authentically celebrate pride, not only for June, but year round.
Happy Pride!
Xo BJS