Pride Month 2025 gives educators a powerful opportunity to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community and inspire students to take part in building a more inclusive world. The theme for this year, Activism and Social Change, encourages reflection on past progress and a renewed commitment to creating equitable spaces for all.

As a teacher or support staff member, your role goes beyond delivering lessons. You have the ability to shape open-minded, compassionate individuals by fostering conversations about identity, respect and justice. Pride Month is a perfect time to do this with intention.

The History of Pride: A Legacy of Resistance and Progress

Pride Month has its roots in resistance. On June 28, 1969, the Stonewall Riots erupted in New York City in response to police raids on the Stonewall Inn, a bar known to serve LGBTQ+ patrons. This moment sparked a global movement that demanded visibility and equal rights for LGBTQ+ individuals.

One year later, the first Pride march was held in New York City. The UK followed in 1972, marking the beginning of annual Pride events that now take place around the world. These celebrations remain both joyful and political, honouring those who paved the way and highlighting the continued need for activism.

Bringing Pride Into the Classroom

Educators have a vital role in creating inclusive spaces where students feel seen, valued, and empowered. Here are some practical ways to embed the 2025 theme into your lessons:

Incorporate LGBTQ+ Topics Across the Curriculum

  • English: Explore books by LGBTQ+ authors or characters.
  • History: Teach about civil rights movements and key legislation.
  • Geography: Compare global LGBTQ+ rights and social progress.
  • Art or PSHE: Discuss identity, expression, and activism.

Highlight LGBTQ+ Activists Driving Social Change

In line with the 2025 theme of Activism and Social Change, spotlighting LGBTQ+ individuals who have made a meaningful impact through protest, advocacy and grassroots movements can be a powerful way to inspire students.

Create a classroom display, group project or research activity focused on LGBTQ+ activists who have led efforts for justice, equality and representation across various fields. Some powerful figures to include:

  • Marsha P. Johnson – A key figure in the Stonewall uprising and a lifelong advocate for trans rights and homeless LGBTQ+ youth.
  • Sylvia Rivera – A pioneering trans activist who fought for LGBTQ+ rights and co-founded STAR (Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries).
  • Munroe Bergdorf – A British model and activist using her platform to speak out on racism, transphobia and systemic injustice.
  • Lady Phyll (Phyll Opoku-Gyimah) – Co-founder of UK Black Pride, advocating for the rights and visibility of LGBTQ+ people of colour.
  • Elton John – Not only a celebrated musician but also a long-time advocate and philanthropist supporting HIV/AIDS awareness and LGBTQ+ rights globally.

Encourage students to research lesser-known changemakers from their own communities or around the world and present their work through posters, speeches or digital presentations. This reinforces the idea that activism comes in many forms – from protest to policy change to public storytelling.

Engage with Pride-Themed Crafts and Science

Arts and crafts offer a creative way to explore themes of diversity and equality. Here are some classroom-friendly activities:

  • Create rainbow handprints that symbolize unity and inclusion.
  • Use prisms, light and water to explore how rainbows form, connecting science with symbolism.
  • Design posters or signs advocating for LGBTQ+ rights, focusing on real-world issues.

Read LGBTQ+ Focused Literature

Representation matters. Reading stories about LGBTQ+ experiences helps all students develop empathy, challenge stereotypes and understand diverse perspectives.

  • For younger students: Look for books that include LGBTQ+ families or characters in everyday settings.
  • For secondary students: Choose age-appropriate novels or memoirs that explore LGBTQ+ relationships, coming out, or activism.

Follow up with classroom discussions to encourage critical thinking and reflection.

Research LGBTQ+ Figures Who Created Change

Ask students to prepare presentations on prominent LGBTQ+ individuals who advanced civil rights, shaped culture or influenced public policy. This not only supports research and speaking skills but also reinforces this year’s focus on social change.

Consider figures such as:

  • Alan Turing – Mathematician and codebreaker whose work helped end World War II.
  • RuPaul Charles – Media icon who brought drag culture into the mainstream.
  • Anne Lister – Often referred to as the first modern lesbian, whose diaries revealed the struggles of queer identity in 19th-century England.

Keep Pride Going All Year Long

While June is an ideal time to focus on LGBTQ+ inclusion, these conversations should continue throughout the year. You can support this with:

  • LGBTQ+ student forums or clubs.
  • PSHE lessons focused on allyship, anti-bullying and identity.
  • Inclusive policies and teacher training that make all students feel welcome and seen.

Our Ongoing Commitment

At Tradewind Recruitment, Pride is not just a seasonal campaign. We are committed to championing equality for the LGBTQ+ community year-round. That’s why we’ve launched a dedicated Pride email, managed by LGBTQ+ team members, where staff can raise ideas, share experiences or discuss concerns confidentially.

We stand in solidarity with:

  • The LGBTQ+ colleagues we work alongside every day.
  • The LGBTQ+ clients and candidates we support and represent.
  • The LGBTQ+ students and communities who benefit from inclusive education.