Navigating ‘LGBT Pride Month’ – How Should Parents Respond?

by Jeff Johnston | May 16, 2022 | Sexuality

It’s the middle of May, yet activist corporations are already falling all over themselves in anticipation of June’s “LGBT Pride Month.”

Mattel’s Fisher Price touted the release of a RuPaul Little People toy package, saying, “RuPaul is a pop-culture icon who has been hailed as the best-dressed queen on TV and is coming to life in a whole new way for lip-syncing, runway-slaying fans.”

Entertainment Weekly breathlessly gushed, “The classic toy brand’s new Little People Collector RuPaul package features three figurines that shrink RuPaul down to widdle-pill size, with the three-inch statuettes honoring Mama Ru’s Drag Race outfits both in and out of drag.”

Oreo, produced by Nabisco, announced “a limited edition OREO Pride Pack which acts as a canvas for allies to share their words of pride.” The package has “loving words of support sourced from real allies,” along with a “a writable space that gives the opportunity for everyone to add their own words of allyship.”

For $5.79, you get about 30 cookies, each stamped with the word “Proud.” Ground shipping costs an additional $9.95, bringing the cost of the package to almost 16 bucks. Expedited ($29.95) and warm weather ($18.50) shipping bump up the price even more.

Marvel Comics recently revealed a new “transgender mutant superhero,” named Shela Sexton, in its upcoming Marvel’s Voices: Pride (2022) #1. The story is written by transgender-identified Charlie Jane Anders. The anthology of comic stories includes other gay- and transgender-identified characters.

Then there’s Pixar, which is releasing the animated feature film Lightyear on June 17, telling the backstory for Buzz Lightyear. The film includes a kiss between two women who are in a “meaningful relationship.”

The scene was cut from the movie at one point, then reinstated due to complaints from LGBT employees and allies. Looks like Disney, which owns Pixar, is making good on the promise by Karey Burke, president of Disney’s General Entertainment Content, who said she was committed to producing content that features “underrepresented” individuals.

Burke made the promise in a Zoom call with Disney’s “diversity and inclusion” manager. She told employees, “I’m here as a mother of two queer children, actually. One transgender child and one pansexual child, and also as a leader.”

With “LGBT Pride Month” just two weeks away, how should parents respond?

What would you say if your 10-year-old came home after seeing Lightyear with a friend’s family and mentions she saw two women kissing?

How do you respond when you’re on vacation in another city and you and your children begin to notice colorful rainbow flags, T-shirts and displays, complete with slogans like “Love is Love” and “All the Cool Girls are Lesbians”?

What do you do when you’re at the mall and your family sees a man dressed as a woman walking into the women’s changing room?

Here are a few ideas, along with some resource suggestions to help parents respond with courage, truth, wisdom and kindness:

Plan ahead for how you will respond. Recognize that this is the world we live in, and it’s not a matter of if your children will encounter LGBT issues, but when they will.

“Gay Pride” is supposed to be one month of the year, but the LGBT calendar stretches across the year, including “No Name-Calling Week,” in January; International Transgender Day of Visibility, in March; October’s LGBT History Month; and Transgender Awareness Month in November.

Help your children understand God’s good design for humanity and marriage, before they encounter other sexual and gender ideologies. Teach your children the basics: God created humans male and female; He designed marriage to be between a husband and wife; and a married mom and dad provide the best place for children.
Help them understand that humanity fell into sin, and all of us struggle with sin and temptation. Explain that we all do wrong things, and we can love people even if we disagree with them and even if they are not living the way God intended.
Tell them that even though God clearly made men and women, some people get hurt and are confused in their thinking. We can be kind to those we disagree with, including those who struggle with sexual and identity confusion. You don’t have to understand everything about transgenderism to give your children simple, kind, honest answers to their questions.
Explain that anyone can be forgiven and find freedom from sinful patterns. The good news is that Jesus died to bring all of us salvation, forgiveness, healing and new life. Pray for friends, family members and others who need to encounter God’s love and grace.

Focus on the Family and The Daily Citizen have articles and resources to help parents and grandparents understand LGBT issues and respond to questions from children in healthy, non-reactive ways. We also have resources for those navigating these issues with a family member or friend.