Happy Pride, everyone! In reflecting on this moment for our LGBTQ+ community, I was reminded of a conversation that took place in my car, driving our kids to school last year. It went something like this between a big brother and younger sister:
“I think your teacher is nice because he always says hi to me.”
“[Teacher name] isn’t he. They go by they.”
“That’s confusing. I thought they means more than one person.”
“Well, Flo, it’s not really about what we think. It’s about how my teacher identifies, their feelings, and what they want to be called.”
“Yeah, I guess that makes sense.”
In that little moment, our son Cassius passed down one of the important lessons of Pride to his younger sister Florence. People are who they are, and we as fellow humans should honor and celebrate that. We encourage our kids to be proud of themselves, to love themselves as they are, to love who they want to love, and to respect and celebrate everyone in their community.
Felix and I have always treated our business as an extension of our family. We want our team members to feel loved and seen in their entirety, and to provide our clients with resources they need to do the same for members of theirs, including those in the LGBTQ+ community. When we say we espouse values of love, inclusion, and awesomeness, we mean it. And we mean it for everyone.
That’s why we’re happy to announce some new and upcoming content for our library, school, and employee wellness partners:
- Special Pride Month 2021 Achievement. On June 30, 2021, users who log their reading will earn this achievement (as long as the “Other Special Days, Weeks, & Months (US)” Achievement Setting is turned on in the reader’s Beanstack site).
- Pride 365 Reading Challenge Templates for all partners to use. These templates will feature LGBTQ+ authors and themes and will be available for partners to use anytime starting later this month.
- Recommended reading lists to accompany the Pride 365 challenge templates with book recommendations for all ages.
Additionally, our team will continue to establish ways in which we can amplify the awesome work that our school and library partners are already doing to support and showcase their LGBTQ+ communities financially and otherwise. More to come soon on this front. In the meantime, please share with us more about the work you’re doing in your community.
We at Zoobean stand with our LGBTQ+ employees, clients, and readers. Our commitment to them is strengthened this Pride Month. With all of the love in our hearts and sincerity of our actions, we wish you and yours a Happy Pride. 
P.S. If you are looking for great books featuring LGBTQ+ characters, celebrating the diversity of our identities and relationships, or supporting age-appropriate conversations about sexuality here are a few helpful lists that we love: