The political aspect of the parade also continues, says Suzanne Ford, the interim executive director of San Francisco Pride. In response, the organizers of the first Pride parade made the official chant for the march “Say it loud, gay is proud,” a tradition that has continued for more than 50 years. At the time, LGBTQ+ people faced unfettered persecution, and many were in the closet and ashamed of their identities as a result of social condemnation. The uprising, which followed a police raid of the Stonewall Inn, an LGBTQ+ bar in the West Village in New York, lasted six days and kicked off the gay rights movement. Pride parades started as a political event, first held in New York in June 1970 to commemorate the first anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. But it is necessary to talk to kids about new things they may see at Pride before diving it.
Not to mention that these educational aspects of Pride are paired with joy and celebration. So is it appropriate to take your young kids to Pride?Ĭonsidering the benefits for all families - including seeing other LGBTQ+ families like yours, or showing up as an ally if your family members are straight and cisgender - the answer is absolutely. Not to mention that Pride parades aren’t the most sober of places. They’re filled with sights that may be new to kids, like public nudity and kink. Pride Parades and the Pride festivals that follow are noisy and crowded.
