Pride Month serves as an excellent opportunity to educate children about the significant contributions and achievements of individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA) both historically and in contemporary times.
At Connecticut Children’s, we celebrate Pride Month with our team members, patients, and their families by displaying informative signage in our hospital, providing educational resources, sharing profiles of our team members, and more. We also encourage families to engage in activities that foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of the contributions made by LGBTQIA individuals in our society.
Here are some suggestions for celebrating Pride Month throughout the year:
Explore Pride with the Smithsonian Institution: Visit their online gallery to access a wealth of resources, collections, and events dedicated to Pride Month. Discover the LGBTQIA community’s journey towards equality post-Stonewall Uprising, learn about the history of the rainbow Pride symbol, and explore the stories of LGBTQIA women, among other topics.
Attend a Pride Event in Connecticut: Looking to celebrate Pride Month in June and beyond? Attend an event in Connecticut that is fun for the whole family!
Create Rainbow-Themed Arts and Crafts: The rainbow is a powerful symbol of Pride, representing the diversity of the LGBTQIA community. Get creative with rainbow-themed projects like chalk art on your sidewalk, bead bracelets, or other colorful crafts.
Read LGBTQIA-Inclusive Children’s Books: Introduce children to books by authors and illustrators who identify as LGBTQIA. Common Sense Media provides a great list of reading recommendations sorted by age to get you started.
For more ideas: Check out the Connecticut Children’s Growing Healthy Blog, which offers a variety of tips for celebrating Pride Month with kids, from arts and crafts to watching educational videos and taking virtual tours.
Background on Pride Month: Pride Month commemorates the influence and impact of LGBTQIA individuals on history at local, national, and international levels. Celebrated every June, it honors the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in New York City, a pivotal event in the fight for equal rights for LGBTQIA people in the United States. Today, Pride Month features parades, picnics, workshops, concerts, and numerous other activities worldwide.
These activities and resources provide meaningful ways to celebrate Pride Month and recognize the vital role that LGBTQIA individuals play in our world.