Beating the Back to School Blues: Share Your Story with Family Equality
Sharpen your pencils and pick up your books: Back-to-school season is upon us!
Beyond the first day jitters
For many families, this time of year means shopping for backpacks and stocking up on school supplies. Together, we’re navigating new morning routines and after-school pick-ups, dues for extracurriculars, and first-day-of-school feels. Recalls Tonya from Lafayette, Indiana: “I still remember [my son] in his cute little backpack and outfit! As we drove him to school that first day, ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole played over the radio. Needless to say: Tears.”
For LGBTQ+ parents, this weight is doubled by the current political climate. Across the country, bills have been introduced seeking to prohibit the mere mention of LGBTQ+ families in the classroom. In 2023, there were nearly 2,000 books threatened or outright banned, and 26% of those titles included LGBTQ+ characters and themes. And just this year, the Supreme Court sided with parents seeking to opt their children out of classroom instruction that includes LGBTQ+ inclusive storybooks.
Instead of just focusing on the mundane stresses associated with the school year ahead, LGBTQ+ parents are worried about whether their children will be safe and affirmed as their authentic selves in their classroom. In their adoption story, the Johnsons shared their fears: “When the school asks for a family photo, do we have to Photoshop ourselves out of it? The last thing we should have to worry about is sending a family photo to school.”
Sharing your story
In times like this, it’s easy to feel helpless. But after 45 years of working to protect and support LGBTQ+ families like yours, there’s one thing we’ve learned: Your voice can make a difference.
Share your story with Family Equality and help us bring visibility, hope, and queer joy to other LGBTQ+ families across the country who are entering this back-to-school season feeling lonely or lost — and show the rest of the world that LGBTQ+ families are a valuable part of everyone’s neighborhood, state, and country!
Photos shared by families for back-to-school season 2024!
Want to get in on the fun? Here’s how:
- Share a back-to-school message with Family Equality to use on social media, resources, and blog posts like this one. How did it feel to send your child off on the school bus for the first time? What did you do to ensure that your child’s school knew about your family? We welcome any and all musings!
- Share a back-to-school photo with Family Equality to use on social media. Each year, we share a carousel of LGBTQ+ family photos on the first day of school to spread the LGBTQ+ family love and bring a bit of rainbow magic to people’s timelines. (Psst: Still gearing up for your first day? Print out Family Equality’s activity worksheet to rep your LGBTQ+ family pride in your family’s back-to-school photo!)
You can do both with our handy-dandy form — though you’re also invited to pen a blog post like this one following our guidelines here.
Taking five minutes today to share your family’s story is one small but effective way to celebrate this community at a time when we need it most. We hope to see you on a screen near us soon — and happy back-to-school season!
P.S. This season, and every season, Family Equality has got your back. Our policy team is hard at work updating our robust educational resources so that your family can stay up-to-date on the best ways to advocate for LGBTQ+ inclusivity in the classroom. Bookmark this page or sign up to receive our newsletters, as we will update you with new resources as they become available!
