Amy, Reception Class Teacher, Gusford Primary School

What Pride means to me… 

As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I am a passionate advocate for the Pride movement, both during Pride Month and throughout the year. 

Teaching my Reception class gives me an important opportunity to introduce a culture of acceptance and inclusivity to our children from the early stages of their education. This doesn’t have to be difficult! Something as easy as reading a story about a family with two mums, or a boy wearing a dress, helps encourage children to embrace difference and to hear the very simple messages that “love is love” and that all marriages are equal. 

Alongside this, as a school, we work hard to stop the use of any homophobic or discriminatory language – including those comments like “that’s so gay” which so many of us grew up hearing ourselves.

I am delighted that here at Gusford I have been supported by our Headteacher to develop a Pride area within our library. This is well stocked with an amazing selection of inspiring LGBTQ+ stories. We also include many artists from the LGBTQ+ community in our “Music of the Month” sessions and our children love singing along to Elton John, Sam Smith and Queen. This is another valuable opportunity for them all to benefit from the representation of different gender identities and sexualities.

I also think it is fantastic that our children are seeing the Pride flag flying above the school each day during Pride Month. It is actually very easy to celebrate Pride Month with children. For example, this year we are planning a “Wear the Rainbow” day where everyone simply comes to school wearing their favourite colour. We will all be different, but we will look beautiful together!

For me, Pride Month is an important time to celebrate our community, whilst also recognise and commemorate LGBTQ+ pioneers. 
I can’t wait to join Pride events locally here in Ipswich as well as in Brighton, which is where I went to university. I will meet up with many of my friends who are also teachers from the LGBTQ+ community and, while I celebrate, I will feel proud of the difference we make to the the children we teach.