End of the month, but better late than never!
What could be a better matching theme with being a Proud AB Dad?
June Pride is reserved for gender and sexual minorities, but there’s always been a component for ethnic and cultural minorities as well. The updated Pride flag includes BIPOC folks, and there’s many days, weeks, and other months through the year that share the idea of Pride and/or focus on cultural heritage.
And so we teach the kids about personal pride in their minority heritage and about good allyship.
Taking pride in who we are, pride in where we’re from, along with the diverse people we know and love. This month especially, but all through the year, making sure you’re seen and heard, in quiet ways or loud, all by just living and being present and showing up.
Allyship in showing up for minority people that need it the most. For friends (kids and parents) that need help, kindness, strength, or an added voice. Other young adults figuring themselves out, our romantic partners past and present, and our friends and neighbours that have their own families. Speaking up for each other, not down.
Heritage pride since the boys and momma L are registered Métis with the Métis Nation Within Alberta, participating in the wide range of programs they have. Myself and my brother tell our mixed kids what we remember of life in our birthplace, while showing them the pieces of Ukrainian heritage we carry with as well.
Thankfully more people realize we all are pretty much after the same goals and values: take care of ourselves, our families, with some exploration, enjoyment, and hard work to keep that in the future. Thankfully attitudes and general norms are shifting, acknowledging things such as queerness being anything outside the constructed norm. Girls wearing pants used to be a great example of this.
And it makes me think of me as a mixed ethnic person, as well as “Dad” as a concept. Both inherently tied up in cultural and gender roles ideas that inevitably shift and change.
I didn’t have a dad for quite a few years, and my single mom took over the role in lots of ways. We didn’t do anything specific for her on Father’s Day, but she definitely got plenty of love and attention for the “dadlike” lessons and attitudes she showed us. Not to mention her open and steadfast attitude that everyone deserves acceptance and understanding. Talk about unintentionally queering expected roles!
I can’t thank the people that came before us enough. For their efforts to make the world more equitable, accepting, and reasonable for those that came after.
I won’t say Happy Pride (this time). But to those that need it, Celebrate Yourselves!
Location: Pride Corner
Video: Birds For Some Reason (it’s related!)
-PBD
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