Whether you are an ally or a member of LGBTQ, it’s important to celebrate Pride with your family to let your children and others know that you love, respect, and support the LGBTQ community. Celebrating Pride with your family will help children understand that you stand for inclusion, acceptance, and equality. While we all know that June is celebrated as the month of Pride, we all need some inspiration when it comes to celebrating Pride. To help you with that, here are five fun ways you can celebrate Pride with your family.
1. Parades and events
Looking at the colourful sights and interesting sounds of parades on the television intrigues many of us to be a part of it, especially children. While we may not have many parades going on in India, there are always small events happening in your cities during pride month. Participating in such events along with your kids can be fun and a chance for them to get an insider look at how diverse the LGBTQ community can be. It’s also possible to organize your parade in the neighbourhood, where people living nearby can come together to celebrate Pride.
2. Arts and crafts
During pride month, you can also encourage kids to get creative by engaging them in activities like making pride flags and painting creative pride signs to hang on the porch or by the window. Such pride décor can be used to lift the pride spirit of the home and serve as visual reminders of what Pride reflects and your support for the LGBTQ community.
3. House parties
If you don’t want to go out but still celebrate Pride at home, you can host a small party inviting just friends and family. You can have a queer dress code so everyone can dress up and have fun. You can also help your kids make rainbow-themed cakes and beverages and talk about what each rainbow colour means in the pride symbol.
4. Conversations
The Pride month is a chance for the parents to start conversations on the history of the pride movement and the issues that the LGBTQ community faces. Talk about inspirational people in the LGBTQ community and the struggles they had to overcome to be who they are. This will give your kids the confidence and freedom to express who they are despite what society says.
5. Books and movies
Books and movies offer an entertaining and informative way of celebrating Pride. Watching movies with pride characters helps you understand the LGBTQ experience and discuss it with your children. There are also good LGBTQ books available for children, which can help you expose them to stories about Pride and give them different perspectives.
Recommended reading: Books That Teach Kids About the Fluidity Of Gender and the Importance of Acceptance
That said, the number of ways you can celebrate Pride with your family is not limited to the five ways described here, you can always get creative with how you want to do it and make it as fun as possible for your family.
