Protect Your Peace! 5 Holiday Traditions to Adopt for LGBTQIA+ Folx

BY: Zaniah Boykin

Published 2 months ago

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The LGBTQIA+ community helps make the world and the holidays more colorful and creative. However, for some, the holiday season can intensify feelings of isolation or loneliness due to difficult experiences with family or societal pressures. But that doesn’t mean the festive season is doomed to be unpleasant! With a little intentionality, this time of year can be transformed into one of connection, self-expression, and joy. Here are five Christmas traditions to adopt to help make the holidays more inclusive and sweet!

Host and Attend Chosen Family Gatherings

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Who says you have to keep trying to appease ignorant family members who only tolerate you as long as you don’t bring your partner or your authentic self into their house? Nobody! The holidays are a great time to be around those who love and support you for who you are. Whether you are queer or an ally, surround yourself with people who appreciate and celebrate your presence. It’s perfectly OK to celebrate Christmas with your “brothers from other mothers” and “sisters from other misters.” In the club, we’re all family!

Stand on Business

SOURCE:Photo by Cottonbro Studio/Pexels                                                                                                                        The holidays are notorious for confining people to small spaces with distant relatives or friends with a lot of audacity. This is a great time to practice setting firm boundaries about behavior you will and won’t tolerate. Prioritize your mental health and well-being above all else, and find ways to communicate effectively. This tradition may take some time to lock down, but defining your personal limits is worth it. Also, ALWAYS have an exit strategy planned just in case you reach your limit.

 

Have a Drag Karaoke Night

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This is a modern twist on a 1960s Philadelphia tradition, where the queer community there celebrated “Bitches Christmas.” People dressed in drag and partied at gay bars. So whether you emulate your favorite celebrity or Christmas character is entirely up to you. For added fun, family members and friends can impersonate one another through song. And if your chosen family isn’t in a glam-mood, plain old karaoke is just as fun.

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Travel to Get Away From the Routine

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If the holiday festivities just aren’t your thing, this time of year is perfect for a getaway. Singles or couples without family obligations often find travel a great option. Escaping the cold weather of the holiday season can also help combat seasonal depression.

Create Your Own Traditions

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There’s no right or wrong way to celebrate the holidays, so it’s important to keep an open mind and creative spirit. The key is to ensure you feel respected, heard, and seen in the traditions you create. Sometimes, less is more, so think about using the time to rest and restore or make your festivities the biggest party on the block. No matter what traditions you choose, they should feel unique and suited to you.

What are some queer traditions you’ve created that you think heterosexual people should adopt? Comment below!

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