Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Month (LGBT Pride Month) is celebrated each year in the month of June to honor the 1969 Stonewall riots in New York City. In June of 1969, patrons and supporters of the Stonewall Inn staged an uprising to resist the police harassment and persecution to which LGBT Americans were commonly subjected. This uprising marked the beginning of a movement to outlaw discriminatory laws and practices against LGBT Americans. Today, LGBT Pride Month celebrations include pride parades, picnics, parties, workshops, symposia and concerts, and these events attract millions of participants around the world.
In schools and classrooms, LGBT Pride Month is an excellent time to talk with students about LGBT people and their struggles to achieve equal rights and treatment in all aspects of their lives. It is an opportunity to discover important LGBT people in history, read literature that features LGBT people and stories, analyze homophobia/heterosexism and explore its causes and solutions. As with other similarly themed months, it is important not to isolate the exploration of LGBT people and culture into one month during the year. LGBT history is American history and should be integrated into the curriculum throughout the school year.
Below is a list of relevant K-12 curriculum, children’s books and other resources to bring LGBT Pride Month to your classrooms:
Identity-Based Bullying (Grades 2-5)
What Is Marriage Equality? (Grades 4-8)
Boy Scouts of America Lifts Ban on Gay Leaders (Grades 6-8)
Caitlyn Jenner and the Power of Coming Out (Grades 9-12)
Unheard Voices: Stories of LGBT History (Grades 9-12)
Transgender Identity and Issues (Grades 9-12)
Analyzing Hate Crimes Statistics (Grades 9-12)
Book of the Month: George (June 2015)
Book of the Month: Gracefully Grayson (July 2015)
Book of the Month: Stella Brings the Family (June 2015)
Book of the Month: Jacob's New Dress (July 2014)
Why Pride? (ADL blog)