For Me, Pride Month is All About Family
Here’s how I get my kids in on the fun.
Photograph by Yunhee Kim
Pride is an extremely special time to me. It’s probably my favorite holiday. Of course, the parties are fun, but more importantly, celebrating the beauty of the LGBTQIA+ community just feels so joyous, especially when I reflect on all the years I, and others, spent being in the closet.
Every year, much of my June is filled with Pride events and celebrations, culminating with the New York City Pride parade on the last Sunday of the month. The Pride parade is like a giant party that the entire city celebrates. Queer people and allies of all ages turn out to dance in the streets and remind the world that, "We’re here! We’re Queer! Get used to it!"
But my favorite part of Pride weekends are the family days. Family days are like mini carnivals with a lot of rainbows everywhere. There are games, activities, fun snacks and performances by Gay-Straight Alliance groups and drag queens! More importantly, there are all sorts of families in attendance. Family days allow me and my children to connect with other kids who have Queer parents as well as straight parents who have Queer kids. It’s one of the most special and uplifting events I attend all year.
If you’re looking to host your own backyard family day this Pride Month, these Rainbow Pride Pops (see photo above) are an exciting and delicious way to get kids in on the celebration. I developed the recipe for Food Network Magazine’s May/June issue, and I definitely channeled all the love and joy my kids and I have experienced during our own family Pride gatherings into them. When I was a kid, we always had store-bought Jell-O pops in our freezer. We ate them nearly every evening after spending days running and playing outside in the hot California sun. These colorful beauties immediately take me back to that time and remind me of all the people that have loved and accepted me and have encouraged me to live my truth — especially my mom and dad. Plus, my kids are obsessed with the pops and can’t wait to make them this month. I hope these multi-colored sweets bring some extra happiness to your own Pride celebration too. Happy Pride!
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