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Celebrating Pride in the classroom

Celebrating Pride in the classroom is an opportunity to foster inclusivity and educate students about LGBTQ+ rights and history. This is important especially today as rates of suicidal thoughts have increased among queer youth in the last few years, particularly among trans and LGBTQ youth of color. There’s no question that teachers should be making queer history and celebration a foundational part of their pedagogical practice. Here’s some tips on best practices:

  • Decorate the classroom with rainbow colors, symbols like the Pride flag, and posters showcasing LGBTQ+ role models and achievements.These should be highlighted all year, with special attention during Pride month. Keep in mind that different states and countries have different pride months.

  • Read ! Not only will exposing children to diverse perspectives make them better readers but students from queer families will feel seen. This can include reading books featuring LGBTQ+ characters or discussing historical milestones like the Stonewall Riots. Encourage students to ask questions and engage in respectful dialogue. Don’t forget sentence stems for ELLs.

  • Organize activities that promote understanding and empathy, such as writing assignments on the importance of equality or creating artwork inspired by LGBTQ+ themes. Invite guest speakers from the LGBTQ+ community or local organizations to share their experiences and insights. Or better yet, make it an intersectional project and include amazing local black/indigenous/latinx local heroes.

  • Emphasize the values of kindness, respect, and standing up against discrimination. By celebrating Pride in the classroom, educators not only affirm the identities of LGBTQ+ students but also empower all students to embrace diversity and become allies in creating a more inclusive society.

  • Demonstrate your commitment to the inclusivity of the queer community through your own daily actions. Talk about the queer people in your life, showcase Pride swag that you own and call out queer phobic language in the classroom.

An inclusive classroom is an educated classroom and will help set up students for success in the future. 

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