June is a time for people all over the world to come together in support of the LGBTQ+ community and its allies. As we continue to navigate the pandemic, we should continue to strive to find new and exciting ways to celebrate how far we’ve come together as well as acknowledging the work that still needs to be done.
Pride Month is just as much about education as it is commemoration. For centuries, LGBTQ+ community members were forced to hide, and their roles in mainstream history were significantly downplayed. Because of this, these celebratory parades are just as much about reclaiming the past as they are fighting for a better, more inclusive future. As we dive deeper into how we can all take part in Pride Month, WHS continues to celebrate and serve any child, any parent, any time.
Here at Wolverine Human Services, we are continuously invested in creating proactive and meaningful ways to help showcase our support for everyone of all backgrounds. As individuals, we can show our advocacy for this community in a number of ways. Recognizing that listening is learning is a great first step for anyone. Taking this moment to educate both ourselves and others by reaching out to real voices within the LGBTQ+ community. This can help us see the true power of what understanding and unity can hold.
Each day, we focus on using our platform as a means of creating awareness and hope for children and families within the foster care and adoption system. We want every child to have a complete understanding of what acceptance is when it comes to love and equality. Unfortunately, LGBTQ+ youth in foster care can face a number of additional challenges. The stressors unique to these children can include topics such as homophobia or transphobia, as well as the need to assess the levels of safety within their communities, schools, and homes as a way of deciding if, when, and to whom, to disclose their LGBTQ+ identity.
Like all young people, LGBTQ+ youth in foster care need the support of a loving and nurturing family and alliances to help them while they navigate through adolescence and grow into productive and healthy adults. Given this, we would also like to highlight the increasing need for care providers from the LGBTQ+ community. According to research done by the UCLA School of Law Williams Institute, LGBTQ+ people tend to foster at four times the rate and adopt at six times the rate of their different-sex counterparts. Additionally, this same study tells us that many more LGBTQ+ individuals and couples would consider serving as foster or adoptive parents if they didn’t fear being turned away by child welfare agencies. Wolverine Human Services is more than happy to step in and serve this community and their specific needs.
Moreover, LGBTQ+ parents have so much to give to these children. They understand on a personal level the challenges sometimes faced in today’s society. This can resonate strongly with children in foster care because they experience similar feelings being in the system. Good parenting is not defined by one’s identification or preferences, but by the consistent acts of care and love shown. It is someone who understands their child and accepts them for exactly who they are. This means never giving up and always standing by the child, no matter what.
Overall, Pride Month is an excellent chance for us all to join in on this crucial conversation. Being a part of the change to raise more awareness and increase representation is an absolute necessity. With that, we are proud to celebrate every child and family. We are here to unite, connect, and give a voice to those who may be searching for ways to create families of their own, regardless of factors such as color, background, or sexual preference.
Our doors are always open as a safe haven to all. Click here to get involved by donating to the LGBTQ+ youth in our care, and complete the Care Provider Form below to learn more about foster parent and adoption services.