Wednesday, June 1, 2022, is the 17th annual LGBTQ Families Day, a time to celebrate the many families in every state and almost every county of the U.S. that have LGBTQ people in them. This event aims to raise awareness of the diversity, challenges, and joys of all LGBTQ families—found, formed, and chosen—who exist throughout our society.
LGBTQ Families Day was developed by the award-winning LGBTQ-parenting site Mombian and is sponsored by Family Equality, PFLAG National, GLAAD, and GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD). Since 2006 (originally as Blogging for LGBTQ Families Day), the day has engaged parents across the LGBTQ spectrum, parents of LGBTQ children, LGBTQ individuals, children of LGBTQ parents, and non-LGBTQ family members and allies. The event is held at the start of June, between Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, in order to honor both, but also to highlight that not all families fit into the traditional structure of one mother and one father. Additionally, June is LGBTQ Pride Month.
Anyone who supports LGBTQ families is welcome to participate by:
- Posting, tweeting, or sharing on any social media channel in celebration and support of LGBTQ families on June 1, 2022, and including the hashtag #LGBTQFamiliesDay.
- Following the hashtag #LGBTQFamiliesDay throughout the day and sharing the stories, images, and thoughts from other participants.
Note for past participants: For the first time, I am not collecting a list of blog posts for the day here. Social media has given us other effective ways to share our content. Just use the #LGBTQFamiliesDay hashtag so others can find and share your posts!
“LGBTQ Families Day has broadened in scope over the years to include the vast number of families that include LGBTQ people,” said Dana Rudolph, founder and publisher of Mombian. “It is a day to celebrate all our families and show our mutual commitment to learn from and support each other as we work towards a shared vision of inclusion and equality for all.”
“For nearly two decades, Family Equality has had the pleasure of partnering with Mombian for #LGBTQFamiliesDay, and this year it feels more important than ever,” said Stacey Stevenson, CEO of Family Equality. “At a time when we’re fighting hundreds of legislative attacks on our youth and families across the country, #LGBTQFamiliesDay reminds us that no matter what politicians in Florida or Texas might say, our existence is a gift, and we should be celebrated not just for one day or one month, but all year-round.”
GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis said, “When our children were younger, my wife and I had real difficulty finding content where our kids could see families like their own. Visibility of LGBTQ families is critical, not only to provide our families with moments to relate to, but to humanize our families to the world at a time when attacks against LGBTQ people and families continue to grow. On LGBTQ Families Day this year, let’s send a loud message about the beauty and diversity of LGBTQ families and also pay homage to Mombian and other LGBTQ media outlets that ensure our visibility is front and center throughout the year.”
“LGBTQ Families Day is such a wonderful opportunity to honor the many beautiful ways our families come to be,” said Polly Crozier, Senior Staff Attorney at GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD). “We’re so happy to partner with Mombian to lift up our families’ diverse stories and to affirm that all our families deserve to be celebrated and protected under the law.”
“In a time when so many of our families are under legal threat, we are prouder than ever to celebrate LGBTQ Families Day this year!” said Jordan Budd, Executive Director of COLAGE. “As children of LGBTQ+ parents, we are used to being at the center of national conversations. However, we don’t need fake concern—our families are nothing to be ashamed of, and we aren’t going away. LGBTQ+ families like ours need legal protections, not conspiratorial and queerphobic scrutiny. LGBTQ Families Day is about highlighting what makes our families magical, and no law will stop us from celebrating them!”
About the Organizer and Sponsors
Mombian offers a daily mix of parenting, politics, and diversions for lesbian moms and other LGBTQ parents. It won a GLAAD Media Award for “Outstanding Blog” in 2012. The site was founded in June 2005 by Dana Rudolph, a journalist and lesbian mom who also pens a regular “Mombian” column for several LGBTQ newspapers. In 2018, she received the Hostetter-Habib Family Award from Family Equality.
Family Equality advances legal and lived equality for LGBTQ+ families, and for those who wish to form them, through building community, changing hearts and minds, and driving policy change. Family Equality believes every LGBTQ+ person should have the right and opportunity to form and sustain a loving family, regardless of who they are or where they live. Learn more at familyequality.org.
PFLAG is the first and largest organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) people, their parents and families, and allies. With hundreds of chapters and over 250,000 members and supporters crossing multiple generations of families in major urban centers, small cities, and rural areas across America, PFLAG is committed to creating a world where every LGBTQ+ person is safe, celebrated, empowered, and loved. To learn more, visit pflag.org, like us on Facebook (/pflag), watch us on YouTube (/pflag), or follow us on Twitter (@pflag) or Instagram (@pflag).
GLAAD rewrites the script for LGBTQ acceptance. As a dynamic media force, GLAAD tackles tough issues to shape the narrative and provoke dialogue that leads to cultural change. GLAAD protects all that has been accomplished and creates a world where everyone can live the life they love. For more information, please visit www.glaad.org or connect with GLAAD on Facebook and Twitter.
Through strategic litigation, public policy advocacy, and education, GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders works in New England and nationally to create a just society free of discrimination based on gender identity and expression, HIV status, and sexual orientation. Learn more at glad.org.
COLAGE unites people with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and/or queer parents into a network of peers and supports them as they nurture and empower each other to be skilled, self-confident, and just leaders in our collective communities.
Images
Left click one of the images below to see it full size. You can then right click and save it for sharing.
(Click images to show full size. You can then save them for sharing—or use an image or video of your own family or a message of support.)
