This month is LGBTQ+ History Month. In addition, National Coming Out Day falls on October 11th and International Pronouns Day on October 20th. Click here for the history surrounding LGBTQ+ History Month. LGBTQ+ HistoryMonth, in part, celebrates the achievements of 31 lesbian, gay, bisexual, and/or transgender icons. Each day in October, a new LGBTQ+ Icon is featured with a video, bio, bibliography, and other resources. The LGBTQ+ community is one of the few communities worldwide that is not taught its history at home, in public schools or in religious institutions. LGBTQ+ History Month provides role models, builds community, and makes a civil rights statement about the extraordinary national and international contributions of our community. Although in my home state of New Jersey, legislation was recently passed to include LGBTQ Inclusive curriculum. Click here to read a recent article about the NJ LGBTQ Inclusive curriculum.
National Coming Out Day falls on October 11th. Click here for the history of National Coming Out Day. Coming out is a complex process, regardless of your age or life situation. As mentioned in prior blogs, there are phases with coming out. Most importantly is coming out to yourself. Coming out to yourself can take a while. The person going through this phase, one of the most profound moments in their life, is on their own timeline. The decision to live your authentic life is such an amazing realization.
This year, International Pronouns Day falls on October 20th. International Pronouns Day (IPD) takes place each year on the third Wednesday of October. As individuals, we can educate ourselves by visiting MyPronouns.org. It is essential to know how to respect other’s pronouns and using them correctly. Realizing that you will make mistakes is all right-- just learn how to recover. Please check out the following link for additional info: https://mailchi.mp/ec3c4886c847/next-week-international-pronouns-day-get-ready-6231638?e=dd3ef3a5e0
Recently, there is an emerging educational culture war that includes LGBTQ+ history as well as critical race theory. This includes ideas like pride flags in classrooms and other concerns within our communities. In my own town, we had issues surrounding the pride flag being raised. See the following link for more info: https://www.allthingzap.com/post/lgbtq-inclusion
As many students returned to school, classrooms have displayed LGBTQ pride symbols. This is unfortunately sparking debate in many districts across the country. Here are some links regarding the latest incidents:
Ways you can help:
Support someone who comes out
Raise LGBTQ+ awareness, which can include a pride flag on your house, posting support on social media, etc.
Educate yourself / Ask questions
Display your pronouns
LGBTQ+ is about celebrating diversity, embracing inclusion, and educating ourselves about equity. When people from all walks of like come together, we are all stronger.