Image Descriptions for #PrideBelongsInPreschool Series
Why do we need pride in preschool?
Image descriptions: Each panel has a multi-colored background with five bubbles containing text. At the top of each is the hashtag in white text #PrideBelongsInPreschool and the text in each bubble is black. On the bottom left corner is the tag @resiliencetogether in white text.
Panel 1 bubbles -
Children begin to be able to recognize stereotypical gender groups between 18 and 24 months.
Children can often categorize their own gender by age 3.
Children may begin to "perform" their gender based on adult expectations, despite their authentic gender identity.
Educators and school staff are responsible to support children's health development.
Healthy development is supported by children seeing their identities represented.
Panel 2 bubbles -
Mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors
*coined by Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop
LGBTQIA2S+ children need to see themselves reflected in the classroom.
ALL children benefit from learning about non-dominant identities: having windows become sliding glass doors to immersive worlds.
Educators and school staff can provide learning opportunities through books and other media.
Supporting LGBTQIA2S+ children and families means unlearning (internalized) homophobia and transphobia.
Panel 3 bubbles -
If you don't believe pride belongs in preschool, you are not an ally.
Are you an ally?
If you are only an "ally" when it is comfortable for you, you are not an ally.
Allyship requires action. Allyship requires challenging the status quo.
Allyship requires advocating for LGBTQIA2S+ children and families.
What can pride in preschool look like?
What is it NOT?
Panel 1
A rainbow background with darker shades of the colors towards the top and fading lighter towards the bottom until the bottom is white. An orange rectangle is behind white text at the top that reads What can pride in preschool look like?
In the center is a small tree with rainbow colored leaves. There are four black circles each containing text. These read:
Reading books with LGBTQIA2S+ characters and families represented!
Talking about, affirming, and celebrating different family structures.
Teaching beyond the binary girl/boy genders and girl-boy love.
Learning about LGBTQIA2S+ leaders in history!
Panel 2
A rainbow background with darker shades of the colors towards the top and fading lighter towards the bottom until the bottom is white. An orange rectangle is behind white text at the top that reads What is pride in preschool NOT?
In the center is a small tree with rainbow colored leaves. There are four black circles each containing text. These read:
It is not teaching children about sex.
It does not involve nudity or profanity.
It does not harm children to learn about diverse identities.
It is not teaching children to "be" LGBTQIA2S+.
What Can We Learn from Blue's Clues?
Panel 1
Image description: A colorful pastel background of pink, purple, and green. At the top in dark purple text it reads What Can We Learn from Blue’s Clues? and in the center is the handle @risetoresilience.
There are five blue circles, one large in the lower middle of the frame and four around it in the shape of a paw print.
The largest circle says The Blue's Clues Pride Parade Sing-Along is sung by drag queen Nina West. The smaller circles read: QUEER FAMILIES EXIST, QUEER FAMILIES ARE HAPPY, QUEER FAMILIES ARE WHOLE, and QUEER FAMILIES DESERVE TO THRIVE.
Panel 2
Image description: A colorful pastel background of pink, purple, and green.
At the top in dark purple text it reads What Can We Learn from Blue’s Clues? and the handle @risetoresilience.
A screenshot from Blue's Clues Pride Parade shows a family of three alligators waving pride flags.
The text below reads Families can have two moms!
Moms can wear bowties and be astronauts.
We see the lesbian pride flag and the trans-, Black-, and Brown-inclusive pride flag designed by Daniel Quasar.
Panel 3
Image description: A colorful pastel background of pink, purple, and green.
At the top in dark purple text it reads What Can We Learn from Blue’s Clues? and the handle @risetoresilience.
A screenshot from the Blue's Clues Pride Parade shows a family of three bears with a rainbow background on their float.
The text below reads Families can have two dads!
Dads can wear (pink) scarves.
Bodies come in all shapes and sizes!
Panel 4
Image description: A colorful pastel background of pink, purple, and green.
At the top in dark purple text it reads What Can We Learn from Blue’s Clues? and the handle @risetoresilience.
A screenshot from the Blue's Clues Pride Parade depicts a family of three dolphins with several pride flags. One of the dolphins is in a power wheelchair.
The text below reads Families can have nonbinary parents!
Baba is one name they may choose to be called.
Queer people can be disabled. We see a dolphin using a power wheelchair here! We also see the nonbinary flag.
Panel 5
Image description: A colorful pastel background of pink, purple, and green.
At the top in dark purple text it reads What Can We Learn from Blue’s Clues? and the handle @risetoresilience.
A screenshot from the Blue's Clues Pride Parade shows a family of five beavers with the trans pride colors on the back of their float and several pride flags waving.
The text below reads Families can have transgender members! We see one here with scars from a gender affirming surgery. The transgender pride flag is represented on the fan here. We cannot know if someone is trans just by looking at them!
Panel 6
Image description: A colorful pastel background of pink, purple, and green.
At the top in dark purple text it reads What Can We Learn from Blue’s Clues? and the handle @risetoresilience.
A screenshot from the Blue's Clues Pride Parade shows a family of different animals, including a bunny, three frogs, and three snails. They are waving pride flags.
The text below reads Families can be made up of who you choose! Families are unique and we cannot assume who makes up a family just by looking at them.
Panel 7
Image description: A colorful pastel background of pink, purple, and green.
At the top in dark purple text it reads What Can We Learn from Blue’s Clues? and the handle @risetoresilience.
A screenshot from the Blues Clues Pride Parade shows several different animals including a sheep with fur dyed pink, purple, and blue, turtles, a shark, and a bird. There are several pride flags being waved.
The text below reads Asexual, bisexual, and pansexual identities are represented here.
The asexual flag is black, gray, white, and purple.
The bisexual flag is pink, purple, and blue.
The pansexual flag is pink, yellow, and blue.
Panel 8
Image description: A colorful pastel background of pink, purple, and green.
At the top in dark purple text it reads What Can We Learn from Blue’s Clues? and the handle @risetoresilience.
A screenshot from the Blue's Clues Pride Parade shows a kitten with a hat and two ferrets waving pride flags.
The text below reads Celebrating all kinds of families is good for children!
The greatest protective factor for children's health and wellbeing is a meaningful relationship with a caring adult.
That adult can be anyone in a child's life!
Panel 9
Image description: A colorful pastel background of pink, purple, and green.
At the top in dark purple text it reads What Can We Learn from Blue’s Clues? and the handle @risetoresilience.
A screenshot from the Blue's Clues Pride Parade shows three llamas or alpacas with different shades of brown fur. One has a platform on top of which are frogs with crowns.
The text below reads Black and Brown folks can be LGBTQIA2S+ too!
Using "King" and "Queen" as pronouns originates in the Black community and is Black Vernacular English (BVE).
Be mindful not to engage in cultural appropriation of BVE.
Panel 10
Image description: A colorful pastel background of pink, purple, and green.
At the top in dark purple text it reads What Can We Learn from Blue’s Clues? and the handle @risetoresilience.
A screenshot from the Blue's Clues Pride Parade shows two zebras and one is waving the intersex pride flag.
The text below reads Being an ally is not something a cisgender-heterosexual person gets to decide for themselves.
Actions of non-LGBTQIA2S+ people are what can reflect allyship.
Here we see the intersex flag! It is a yellow flag with purple circle.
Panel 11
Image description: A colorful pastel background of pink, purple, and green.
At the top in dark purple text it reads What Can We Learn from Blue’s Clues? and the handle @risetoresilience.
A screenshot from the Blue's Clues Pride Parade shows two owls celebrating. One is wearing a purple hijab.
The text below reads Here we see a queer individual wearing a hijab!
Pride celebrates love, kindness, and joy for the LGBTQIA2S+ community!
Pride Belongs in Preschool!
Panel 12
Image description: A colorful pastel background of pink, purple, and green.
At the top in dark purple text it reads What Can We Learn from Blue’s Clues? and in the center is the handle @risetoresilience.
There are five blue circles, one large in the lower middle of the frame and four around it in the shape of a paw print.
The largest circle says What does LGBTQIA2S+ mean?
And the four smaller circles say L= Lesbian, G = Gay, B = Bisexual; T = Trans, Q = Queer, I = Intersex; A = Asexual, Aromantic, Agender; 2S = Two-Spirit; This is an identity specific to Indigenous communities.
Gender and Pronouns in Preschool
Panel 1
A colorful pastel background of pink, purple, and yellow. At the top in black text it reads Gender and Pronouns in Preschool and below that centered is the handle @risetoresilience and Pride Belongs in Preschool. There are five blue circles, one large in the lower middle of the frame and four around it. The largest circle reads Practice, model, and teach using gender-neutral pronouns (they/them) until you know what pronouns someone uses. The four smaller circles read:
Do...
Encourage and support gender exploration through play and clothing.
Do...
Help children use the correct pronouns for each other and adults.
Don't...
Equate clothing or hairstyles with gender.
Don't...
Assume pronouns, gender, or what a child calls their guardian(s).
Panel 2
A colorful pastel background of pink, purple, and yellow. At the top in black text it reads Gender and Pronouns in Preschool and below that centered is the handle @risetoresilience and Pride Belongs in Preschool. There are five blue circles, one large in the lower middle of the frame and four around it. The largest circle reads Instead of grouping children by "boys and girls" try.... The four smaller circles read:
Do they have a pet at home? No pets at home?
Grouping by favorite...
Animal
Superhero
Color
etc.
Do their shoes have laces or slip on?
Would they rather...
Paint or color
Sleep or dance
Superpower
etc.
Gender Diversity in Books
A light pink background with colorful wavy lines at the top and bottom in darker pink, white, blue, and orange. In the center is a blue rectangle with rounded edges and the text inside reads #PrideBelongsInPreschool and smaller text below reads GENDER DIVERSITY BOOKS FOR YOUNG CHILDREN and the handle @RESILIENCETOGETHER. Each panel contains four books:
First panel:
Meet My Family!: Animal Babies and Their Families | Laura Purdie Salas (Author) Stephanie Fizer Coleman (Illustrator)
My Footprints | Bao Phi (Author) Basia Tran (Illustrator)
When Aidan Became a Brother | Kyle Lukoff (Author) Kaylani Juanita (Illustrator)
They, She, He easy as ABC | Maya Christina Gonzalez (Author) Matthew Sg (Author)
Second panel:
Queer Heroes: Meet 53 LGBTQ Heroes from Past and Present! | Arabelle Sicardi (Author) Sarah Tanat-Jones (Illustrator)
Papa, Daddy, & Riley | Seamus Kirst (Author) Devon Holzwarth (Illustrator)
Annie's Plaid Shirt | Stacy B. Davids (Author) Rachel Balsaitis (Illustrator)
Julián Is a Mermaid | Jessica Love (Author)
Third panel:
Introducing Teddy: A gentle story about gender and friendship | Jessica Walton (Author) Dougal McPherson (Illustrator)
It Feels Good to be Yourself | Theresa Thorn (Author) Noah Grigni (Illustrator)
I Am Jazz | Jessica Herthel and Jazz Jennings (Authors) Shelagh McNichols (Illustrator)
The Boy and the Bindi | Vivek Shraya (Author) Rajni Perera (Illustrator)
Fourth panel:
I'm Not a Girl: A Transgender Story | Maddox Lyons and Jessica Verdi (Authors) Dana Simpson (Illustrator)
Jacob's School Play: Starring He, She, and They | Ian and Sarah Hoffman (Authors) Chris Case (Illustrator)
Jacob's Room to Choose | Ian and Sarah Hoffman (Authors) Chris Case (Illustrator)
Jacob's New Dress | Ian and Sarah Hoffman (Authors) Chris Case (Illustrator)