LGBTQIA+ Awareness- For Children

We have a list of recommendations for learning about LGBTQIA+ individuals and families. Whether you are a teacher looking to educate your school children, or you are looking to teach your own children, we have a variety of accessible resources for teaching children of all ages.

If you want to check up on any films or TV shows before you watch, check out the Common Sense media website for more information, potential triggering scenes, and any hard topics addressed in it.

Books

1. It’s Okay to be Different, by Todd Parr (book). It’s Okay to Be Different cleverly delivers the important messages of acceptance, understanding and confidence in an accessible, child-friendly format featuring bold, bright colours and silly scenes. Targeted to young children first beginning to read, this book will inspire kids to celebrate their individuality through acceptance of others and self-confidence. Available here. Age 3-6 years.
   
2. Julian is a Mermaid, by Jessica Love (book). Julián is a Mermaid is a story about a boy and his Abuela. It is a story about  being seen for who we are by someone who loves us. Available here. Age 3-6 years.
   
3. All You Need Is Love: The Great Explanation, by Orran George and Cindy Booher (book). All families come in different shapes and sizes, but they are all special when they love and respect each other. These rhyming stories are a celebration of the diversity of families and encourage inclusion and acceptance in a child’s relationships. Available here. Age 3-8 years.
   
4. Peanut goes for the Gold, by Jonathan Van Ness, (book). Peanut is a gender nonbinary guinea pig who does everything with their own personal flare! Peanut decides to be a rhythmic gymnast who comes up with a routine that is perfect because it is 100% Peanut. Available here. Age 4-8 years.
   
5. King and King, by Linda de Haan and Stern Nijland (book). This funny, beautiful illustrated story takes place on a mountain high above town, where a queen is trying to find a princess for her son to marry. Her son doesn’t care much for princesses, so he finds his own way to his ‘happy ever after’. Perfect for teaching children about same sex relationships and ‘questioning the norm’. Available here. Age 5-8 years.
   
6. Pride: The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag, by Rob Sanders (book). The very first picture book about the remarkable and inspiring story of the Gay Pride Flag! This story of love, hope, equality and pride shares the history of the Gay Pride flag with young readers, from its beginnings in 1978 with social activist Harvey Milk and designer Gilbert Baker to its spanning of the globe and its role in today’s world. Available here. Age 5-8 years.
   
7. Love Around the World, by Fleur Pierets (book). Inspired by a true story, Love Around the World is the beautiful and heart-warming adventure of two women’s journey to marry each other in every country where same-sex marriage is legal. Available here. Age 6-8 years.
   
8. Queer Heroes, by Arabelle Sicardi (book). This book introduces 53 LGBTQ+ heroes from past and present, sharing their inspirational stories and journeys. Inspiring and informative, this book demonstrates a perfect way to introduce these legends to your little ones! Available here. Age 10-15 years.

Films and Shorts

1. Out (short) Disney’s and Pixar’s first short to feature a gay main character and storyline follows Greg and his boyfriend Manuel as the prepare for a big move. Greg magically switches bodies with his dog, Jim, and is able to see his life, and his mother, from another point of view. Rated PG.
   
2. In a Heartbeat, 2017 (short) This sweet short film follows two young boys, one blithely going about his day and the other following his heart, literally, before it reveals his powerful crush on the other. This heart-warming tearjerker is not rated, but does not have any concerning violence, language, or themes that parents need to worry about.
   
3. The Bravest Knight who Ever Lived, 2015 (short) This 8-minute short film that’s a queer twist on a classic children’s fairytale. The story follows a young boy from humble beginnings- a pumpkin farmer named Cedric- who receives the chance of a lifetime to become a hero. But when he rescues both a princess and a prince, Cedric gets to decide whose affectation he truly desires. Recommended age 5+.
   
4. Rosaline, 2022 (short) Based on the novel When You Were Mine by Rebecca Serle, Rosaline is a short, comedic , animated film that tells the story of a brave young woman in a fairytale land who outwits every villain in her path to get to her sweetheart– including facing a conniving witch, a threatening wolf, and a fairy godmother. Age 13+.
   
5. Tyler, 2020 (short) Intelligent 9-year-old Tyler and his older brother Daniel go out to a diner, where Tyler reveals he has a boyfriend. Initially shocked, the two talk it out. The message of this film stresses how same sex crushes are just as ‘normal’ as straight crushes. This film is not rated, but does not have any concerning violence, language, or themes that parents need to worry about.
   
6. Sweetheart Dancers, 2019 (short / documentary) Two-spirit powwow dancers Sean Snyder and Adrian Stevens — of the Ute and Navajo nations, respectively — tell the story of how the powwow arena brought them together and how they hope their love will not only “make waves” but make the world more equal for everyone. This film is not rated, but does not have any concerning violence, language, or themes to worry about. Rated PG.
   
7. The Most Dangerous Year (documentary) In 2016 a small group of families with transgender kids joined the fight against a wave of discriminatory anti-transgender legislation that swept the nation and their home state. With the help of a coalition of civil rights activists and ally lawmakers, these families embarked on an uncharted journey of fighting for their children’s lives and futures in this present-day civil rights story. Age 12+.
   
8. Mitchells vs the Machines, 2021 (film). This film’s main character is openly queer- something which no all-age American animated movie has done before. This isn’t massively blatant throughout the film but it is hard to miss, with a few scenes openly discussing it. The plot of the story isn’t about the character and her sexuality, which is why we love it so much! Rated U.
   
9. ParaNorman, 2012 (film) This American stop-motion animated fantasy comedy-horror film features Norman, a young boy who can communicate with ghosts. Norman is given the task of ending a 300-year-old witch’s curse on his Massachusetts town. One of the supporting characters, Mitch, is gay, making him the first openly gay character in a mainstream animated film. Recommended age 10+.
   
10. The Prom (film) In Indiana, at a meeting with the PTA, the PTA president announces that the school’s prom will be cancelled because a lesbian student (Emma) wanted to bring a girl to the dance, much to the dismay of Principal Tom Hawkins who supports Emma, but is powerless to oppose the PTA’s decision. An ensemble of washed-up Broadway actors descend on a small town in Indiana to Emma. Rated PG13.
    
11. Love, Simon (film) Based on the novel Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli, Love, Simon is an American romantic comedy featuring a typical high school kid with great friends and great parents. The only complication is that he hasn’t come out to him as gay. But when a classmate anonymously comes out, Simon finds himself falling for this mystery man online. Rated 12+.
    
12. Onward, 2020 (film). This computer-animated urban fantasy adventure film follows 2 elf brothers who search for an artifact that will temporarily bring back their deceased father. There is only a small reference to the LGBT community, with one police officer briefly indicating that she is a lesbian by referring to her girlfriend. Age 8+.
    
13. Fifteen (short). Fifteen is a tough age for a girl. Especially when you fall in love for the first time with another girl. People stare, friends suddenly turn judgmental, and parents just don’t understand. But it’s worth it.
    
14. Bend It Like Beckham, 2002 (film). Two ambitious girls, despite their parents’ wishes, have their hearts set on careers in professional football. The film has lesbian undertones with a ‘Will they? Won’t they?’ theme throughout. The main character’s male best friend also comes out in the film. Rated 12.
    
15. Breakfast with Scot, 2007 (film). Sportscaster Eric is happily married before his husband Sam inherits custody of a relative’s stepson. When young Scot prefers musicals to hockey, Eric discovers his internalized toxic masculinity. Rated PG-13.
    
16. Sailor Moon Crystal, 2014 (Anime) In the long-running Japanese manga, it’s canon that Sailors Uranus and Neptune are a couple, but early American releases recast them as cousins. Today, the rebooted series “Sailor Moon Crystal” (2014) gets the couple back together. Age 8+

TV Shows

1. Adventure Time (TV Show) Adventure Time is one of the most popular cult classics in the animation world. While the series centred on Finn and his magical dog, Jake, the show also featured several other amazing characters, some of whom are part of the LGBTQ+ community. Marceline and Princess Bubblegum are not only perfect together, but they’re also one of the first same-sex couples on a children’s show. The show also featured a genderfluid character with the inclusion of BMO. Age 8+.
   
2. Diary of a Future President (TV Show) One of the characters in the show, Bobby Cañero-Reed, discovers he has complicated feelings for his friend, Liam. During the show, we see his initial confusion wear off, and eventually he realises that liking boys is nothing to be ashamed of. Age 12+.
   
3. Doc McStuffins (TV Show) We love Doc McStuffins! It is cute, engaging, and features a female doctor (something which is not often shown in the media). The show addresses the LGBTQ+ community in a season 4 episode, where Doc meets Thea and Edie, a lesbian couple with children of their own. This was the first time Disney Junior featured a same-sex couple on the channel, and is something worthy of celebration! Age 4+.
   
4. High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (TV Show) This TV Show features Seb and Carlos, whose relationship is extremely special because it shows how different people can feel about their sexuality. While Carlos is out and proud, Seb is more reserved when it comes to coming out, and the series shows that both are totally okay! Rated PG.
   
5. She-Ra And The Princesses Of Power (TV Show) This reboot of the 1980s show follows Adora, a young girl who gets turned into a warrior named She-Ra who fights against evil in order to save the world. Adora is in a relationship with another female- Catra. Unlike some other shows, She-Ra And The Princesses Of Power set out to be LGTBQ-inclusive from the very start, which certainly comes through in the storytelling. Age 7+.
   
6. The Owl House (TV Series) Featuring Disney’s first bisexual lead character, the Owl House follows Luz, a 14 year old protagonist, who goes on a journey to another world to become a witch. Luz has shown she’s attracted to male characters in the show, and in the two most recent episodes, “Enchanting Grom Fright” and “Wing It Like Witches,” a relationship between Luz and the recurring female character Amity is explored. Age 7+.
   
7. Steven Universe (TV Show) Steven Universe doesn’t ‘shy away’ from the characters sexualities- it constantly includes characters’ identities and sexualities at the forefront of episodes. The show features a same-sex marriage between Ruby and Sapphire, introduces a non-binary and intersex character, and regularly makes sure it has characters who represented different identities within the LGBTQ+ community. Age 10+.
   
8. The Loud House (TV Show) This series centres on Lincoln Loud, the only boy in a large family, who is always up to something. While Lincoln is the main character, his best friend Clyde is the character that helped the show reach the LGBTQ+ community because he has two dads. After the positive reaction to Clyde’s parents, the creators decided to explore other storylines, including Luna Loud coming out as bisexual. Age 7+.
   
9. One Day at a Time (TV show) The entire run of this delightful throwback sitcom has queer-friendly content, but particularly its first season (still streaming on Netflix, even though the latest season was made for Pop), which slowly but carefully charted the journey of Elena (Isabella Gomez), a Latinx teen coming to the realisation that she’s gay, and gradually discovering how to tell her very Catholic family about it.
   
10. Danger and Eggs, 2015 (TV show). Truly for little kids, “Danger and Eggs” (2015–) pairs daredevil D.D. Danger and her safety-conscious best friend, an egg named Phillip, in all kinds of outrageous adventures. It’s a buddy show in a world casually populated with numerous queer characters (often voiced by queer actors).
    
11. Cardcaptor Sakura, 2020 (TV Show, Anime). A more recent re-release of a magical girl anime classic for younger viewers, the Netflix release of “Cardcaptor Sakura” (2020) is more faithful to the Japanese original than earlier American dubs. The show about a fourth-grader collecting magical cards has romantic crush subplots, and an older brother with a boyfriend. Age 8+.