All We Need is Love, Love is Love is Love is Love..

June is an excellent time to talk to kids, friends and family about what it means to be gay, bisexual, transgender or queer. President Bill Clinton declared gay and lesbian pride month in 1999, then in 2009 President Barack Obama declared June LGBT month. Pride month is a joyful celebration and reminder that LGBTQ people deserve the same rights as everyone else. It's a time to uplift the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people.

The Rainbow flag was designed by Gilbert Baker in 1978 in San Francisco. It consists of 8 colors and each color symbolizes something different.

Pink- Sexuality Red- Life Orange- Healing Yellow- The Sun Green- Nature Turquoise- Art and Magi Blue- Harmony and Serenity Purple- The Soul and Spirit

Today the flag has been updated:

Pink/Blue- For transgender people Black/Brown- For black and latin x people

Talking to our kids about Pride is important because it can help shape their feelings about diversity, , equality, kindness, expression and inclusion as they grow up. They can feel connected, have a sense of community and not feel alone.

Some activities to do with our loved ones:

• Attend local pride parades

• Eat a rainbow cake or cupcake

• Watch Love, Simon

• Dance to the song, I'm coming out

• Paint shapes, rainbows using the colors of the flag

• Read it's Okay To be Different by Todd Parr