June is 2SLGBTQIA+ Pride Month
Things you should know when talking to your Girl Scouts.
Co-authored by Leslie Anselme and Morgan Alley.
It’s 2SLGBTQIA+ Pride Month!
At Girl Scouts of Eastern
Massachusetts, we welcome everyone who identifies as a girl,
transgender boys, non-binary youth members, and adults of all genders.
This month and every month, we are proud to stand in support of our
2SLGBTQIA+ Girl Scouts and community members who continue to face
hate, discrimination, and violence for living as they are. We invite
you to take a few moments this month to earn
the LGBTQ+ Pride Month Patch, and read through the key points
that we have compiled below.
What does the acronym “2SLGBTQIA+” stand for?
Please note, you may also see this acronym written as
LGBT, LGBT+, LGBTQ, LGBTQ+, LGBTQIA, LGBTQIA+, or some other
variation. There is currently no one “correct” acronym, but let’s
focus on 2SLGBTQIA+:
2S: Two-Spirit
L: Lesbian
G: Gay
B: Bisexual
T: Transgender
Q:
Queer/Questioning
I: Intersex
A: Asexual
Letters Explained
Two-Spirit is a term used by some Indigenous people to
refer to a person who identifies as having both a masculine and a
feminine spirit.
Intersex is an umbrella term used to describe a person
who is born with reproductive or sexual anatomy that doesn't fit the
prescribed boxes of female or male.
Questioning refers to anyone who hasn't definitively
asserted their sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression,
or some combination of those three. They might be exploring their
identity.
2SLGBTQIA+ people have ALWAYS existed.
While some of these terms may feel new or unfamiliar to
some, 2SLGBTQIA+ people are not a new concept! We see their
existence in many places throughout history, and as far back as
seventh century B.C.! An early example of 2SLGBTQIA+ representation
is the Greek poet, Sappho, who was praised for her beautiful works
depicting romantic relationships between women.
Why do we celebrate Pride Month in June?
Pride is celebrated in June to commemorate the
Stonewall Rebellion in New York City in June 1969. Now, we use this
time honor the many contributions made by the LGBTQ+ community to
our history and cultures around the world.
The World’s Largest Pride Celebration
Pride is
more commonly known to be celebrated with marches or parades, but it
has also grown to include local festivals, performances, parties,
panel discussions, keynotes, and more! There are impressive Pride
celebrations all across eastern Massachusetts during the month of
June, but the biggest Pride celebration in the world, according to the
Guinness Book of World Records, is Sao Paulo Gay Pride in Brazil!
