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- Teach Gender Neutrality
- Introduce Them to LGBTQ Friendly Shows and Cartoons
- Learning about ChoiceP
- Reading LGBTQ-Friendly Content
- Show Educational Videos
- Allow Them to Search About it
- Take Them to LGBTQ Events
- Final Thoughts
Due to the pervading heteronormative stereotypes about relationships and identity, it might seem a little difficult to introduce your child to LGBTQ identities. However, we swear by Oscar Wilde who says ‘To define is to limit.’
Truly love and person has ceased to exist due to the societal norms that are much prevalent in the society. It is very important for us to teach our further generations to not abide by those norms and spread love and affection unbiasedly.
We consider it the first priority that children should learn respect for diversity in all walks of life. To eliminate the persisting stereotypes regarding LGBTQIA identities, parents should begin charity from home and introduce children to them. Podium School respects everyone irrespective of their differences. Therefore, we introduce you to these tips to help your child understand LGBTQIA identities and respect them.
Teach Gender Neutrality
Begin by eradicating the existing gender stereotypes by encouraging a gender-neutral way of upbringing. To know how to go about this, check out our post on how to raise children in a gender-neutral way.
The first step to introduce your child to diversity is to build a foundation that lacks stereotypical notions. Often, children might embody patterns of gendering toys and clothes if parents encourage them in this pursuit. Therefore, to prevent this, it is important to help children understand that material things like toys, clothes, and activities don’t have a gender.
Teaching gender-neutrality is also a big task for parents. Avoid making generalizations related to genders, especially when you mention professions and habits. Allow your child to see people for their qualities and not their gender orientations. While your child learns to accommodate instead of differentiating, it will be easier for them to understand LGBTQIA identities with more sensitivity.
Introduce Them to LGBTQ Friendly Shows and Cartoons
Watching cartoons is the most preferred and loved activity of every child. So, it can be a way to introduce the sensitive concept. There are many cartoons that are LGBTQ-friendly. Thus, children can see such shows. Some of those shows like Adventure Time, Steven Universe, Summer Camp Islands, Arthur, and many more. To discover more LGBTQ friendly shows, click here.
Inclusive cartoons introduce concepts like spreading love and affection to every person irrespective of the person’s identity, homosexual relationships, identity, embracing personhood in children from the very beginning. This will make it easy for you to talk about the concept.
Learning about ChoiceP
Always teach your child about the concept of choice. It will be easy to introduce the topic as the child will not have negative opinions and views about it. For ages, children have been taught to avoid people who identify as LGBTQ because of notions perpetuated by society. We were told to keep a distance from such people as well. Thus, when we want our kids to learn about LGBTQ in a positive manner, we must first teach them the importance of concept of choice.
The concept of choice is a significant topic to discuss when it is about LGBTQ community. Make your kids learn the concept of choice by letting them take part in simple activities. Place them in simple situations where kids choose their options, it would make them learn the concept of choice. Prevent them from being influenced by discriminatory practices.
Other activities that require them to choose between two options will make it easier for them to grasp the concept. Teach them that choice, consent and tolerance are key features of a kind, healthy and progressive person.
Reading LGBTQ-Friendly Content
It is important that your kid reads book regularly. This will intensify their ability to understand things better and faster. It is an easy way to introduce such sensitive topics to your child. Thus, reading out or making them read stories relating to the LGBTQ concepts will make it easy.
Because the child has already read about same-sex people loving and living together, he or she will not be surprised when they see it in person. He or she will be familiar with it because they have already read it in books.
Books like A Family is a Family, The Pride, Sparkle Boy, The Boy, and The Bindi, I Am Jazz, etc. have made it easy for both children and parents to talk about the topic. Reading these would make the introduction process very easy and comfortable. One of these books is the Boy in the Dress by David Walliams.
Show Educational Videos
Play LGBTQ-related educational videos for them. This will make it easy for them to understand the concept. When you feel it is difficult for you to directly communicate to your child about this, the immediate option is to show them educational videos about it. In this way, they will be able to answer the basic questions that have been bothering them.
The basic concept is conveyed through creative means in these videos. To attract the audience’s attention, they use visual effects, toys, and other tools. Getting the child to watch it is easy because he or she will be drawn to it. While they will learn about it through videos, cartoons, and books, it is also critical that they be allowed to conduct independent research. Look at this video, for example!
Allow Them to Search About it
While they learn about it through videos, cartoons, and books, it is equally important for them to know about it on their own by searching about it. Ensuring a safe search is a fundamental point to note.
The ability for children to discover such concepts on their own is crucial to their understanding. Allow your kids to search more about the LGBTQIA- the stigma they face, how to tackle it, and how they would like to inculcate this concept in their own activities. Keep an eye out for hate speech or bullying based on sexual orientation. Always keep an eye on them to make they do not engage in hate speech or bully a specific group on the basis of their orientation.
Take Them to LGBTQ Events
There is always this misconception, that kids would be scared of LGBTQ people. However, kids are only scared of things unfamiliar to them. Therefore, in order to help them understand LGBTQIA identities take them to Pride parades, general discussion events, book readings at the library, or introduce them to people who identify as LGBTQIA.
Taking them out on LGBTQ events where they talk about themselves is important. In this manner, they will know them in person and will get a chance to interact with them. The interaction will gradually ease the situation.
Final Thoughts
To put it simply, it is important to inculcate values of respect, kindness, and tolerance right from childhood. Introducing such sensitive topics could only be possible when children have better values. Thus, to talk about topics like these, parents should prepare the child well from the beginning to reduce the unfamiliarity effect.
For more tips on parenting, check out our Parenting advice archives on the Podium Blog!
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