“Family-friendly” has been a dogwhistle for all kinds of evil horseshit since at LEASE my childhood, 40+ years ago.
Don’t fall for it. And don’t let pro-LGBT+ people use that language without challenging it, it’s a direct fucking quote from our oppressors.
It’s also been used against communities of color, especially Black communities, to imply that Black people are inherently violent or sexually aggressive. If you watch older TV you may hear the phrase “well, there goes the neighborhood” used as a joke, but it was no joke, and there are still people who think this.
Pride can absolutely benefit from having some kid-centered activities, but these should be an and-also, not an instead-of. There’s a leather daddy pageant and also drag queen story hour. You may see puppy play costumes, and also we have an all-ages history program designed not to whitewash but to help kids understand without needing to take a queer theory class first.
Queer people look many ways. Make Pride something we can all enjoy—but make it clear that means “you are one part of a multifaceted community and other community members will be present,” not “we will cater exclusively to you.”
