Show Your Love for the Queer Kids in Your Life With These Gifts

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I get it — queer people are amazing, but sometimes hard to buy for. That is why I, a queer person and a mother of a queer kid have compiled this list of gifts for LGBTQIA kids. I used the resources I had, namely my daughter and her small army of LGBTQIA friends, and they put me in what I can only assume is the most chaotic text chain a parent has ever been privy to. Picture it: a dozen queer kids all sitting in various homerooms texting each other and a mom who shops for a living, coming up with their dream list of gifts.

Needless to say, I had to silence that text chain pretty quickly. They are lightning-fast with the links and texts. But! The intel was amazing, and now I can tell you that with all seriousness, the kids? They're all right. And they also really love cats and Stranger Things. (I get it, totally, film and television is a pivotal experience for the young queers. I, myself, figured out that I was bisexual when I couldn't decide which lead to crush on in Jurassic Park.)

Check out our much-whittled down list of gifts for LGBTQIA kids! Happy Pride everyone!

Komorebi Professional Metallic Watercolor

Exact quote from the kids? “We are artistic, and metallics are always the best option in any circumstance.”

I don't know if I agree with that, specifically, but watercolors are a wonderful way to express yourself creatively, and MozArt makes a great set. Twenty-four different metallic pots grace this refillable palette, ready for use whenever inspiration strikes.

More: Brands That Support Pride

Love Always Wins Bath Fizzy

My daughter calls these her “gay bath bombs” to which I say “yeah, why not?” She also says that baths are best taken when you have gay bath bombs, as they are superior to all other varieties. So I guess, good on Bath & Body Works for making sweet-smelling (gay) bath bombs for Pride?

Smiley Rainbow Weighted Blanket

Sometimes, being a queer kid can feel like the weight of the world is on your shoulders, and oddly, a weighted blanket can lighten the load by offering gentle pressure and comfort. This five-pound rainbow blanket is sweet and warm, and apparently “like huge levels of cute.”

Kuromi Iridescent Plastic Cup

I thought they chose this cup because it is iridescent rainbow. Nope! Apparently there's a whole group of queer people who argue incessantly if Hello Kitty is canonically a lesbian, and if Kuromi has a gender, and there was a lot more than that, but that's the gist.

3D Big Cloud lightning Light Kit Music Sync

These are genuinely cool. They're cloud lights that can be sync'd to music so that the colors pulse. It's pretty big, but it doesn't take up too much room that it's imposing. If I were a bit younger, I'd want one in my room as well. (Also, can you imagine these in a nursery?)

Punching Bag — 70-Inch

This one is a bit more serious, but it’s also really fun. But first, if you’re straight and cis, I need you to try to imagine something. I need you to really think about how it would feel to go through your day, every day, knowing that there are people around you who don’t respect you or even hate you for being who you are. Imagine how that could build in your body.

This is what I wish I had growing up. I wish I had an outlet for all of that bad energy. A solid, 70-inch punching bag with gloves? Necessary.

XL Rainbow Rock Candy Color Wheel

Sure, this is essentially a sugar rainbow, but it's really aesthetically pleasing. Isn't it? Dylan's Candy Bar makes the highest-quality candies, and this rainbow color wheel of rock candy is perfect for pride or anytime.

Limited-Edition All Love Colorway

I have these exact headphones, but last year's edition, and I rarely get to use them myself because my daughter steals them. I can't complain, though, as she is the younger queer in this house, and she's not hard of hearing, so the quality isn't lost on her like it is on me.

3pcs/set LGBT Rainbow Striped Pattern Infinity Decor Bracelet

I have lost count of how many bracelets like these I’ve picked up around the house. They’re an “essential item,” according to my kid. And they’re easy to wear, comfortable, and just gay enough to drive kids wild.

Cat Rainbow Flag

My daughter has tons of pins all over her backpack, and so do most of her friends. This lavender cat with a pride flag is about as adorable as pins get. It's a great, inexpensive gift for LGBTQIA kids that could work in place of a bow on a gift.

‘The Witch Boy’ by Molly Knox Ostertag

I absolutely loved this graphic novel, and so did my daughter and many of her friends. It's about a child called Aster who lives in a world where boys are shapeshifters and girls are witches. But even though it's expected that Aster will shapeshift, it doesn't happen.

Instead, Aster is drawn towards the magic witches possess. When something threatens the shifters, Aster knows witchcraft could help, and decides to begin practicing for real.

‘The Trans Self-Care Workbook’ by Theo Nicole Lorenz

Being a trans, nonbinary, or gnc teen is a lot. Especially right now with all of the disgusting and terrifying anti-trans legislation happening around the country.

It can be overwhelming. This workbook uses the practices of cognitive behavioral therapy to unpack tough feelings about gender, gender dysphoria, and self-love. Friends of mine have recommended this workbook over and over again, saying that it’s “perfect.”

Bisexual Pride Super Plush Blanket

As a card-carrying member of the bi/pan community, I can tell you that this throw blanket is a hoot. Who doesn't want to be all wrapped up in a soft and cozy throw that also proudly proclaims bi pride? On top of that, they're just really pretty colors.

‘Stranger Things’ VHS Light

I have heard more theories about Stranger Things than you would think existed. Will Byers, one of the leads, recently came out in the show (as did the actor playing him), and that has led to my kid coming up with about 100 different reasons why that's connected to how he ended up in the Upside Down.

As you probably know, when one is in the Upside Down, the only way to communicate is through lights. This “VHS tape” is actually an LED lamp. No need to worry about bad communication.

Unicorn Lollipop Rings (15-Pack)

A teen boy texted me that he thinks that all gays are just magical creatures inside. Apparently, magical creatures love sugar, because he sent me this link. I think they'd be great to pass out to your child in increments after they come out as a show of support. Something like a magic lolly a week.

Color Changing Gel Nail Polish

My daughter's girlfriend and my very own GBF love this set of nail polishes. Why I think it makes a great gift for LGBTQIA kids is because it changes with the temperature, and it feels symbolic of the before coming out and after coming out stages of life for these kids.

‘This Song Is (Not) For You’ by Laura Nowlin

A book for older teens, This Song is Not for You by Laura Nowlin features an ace character and grapples with subjects that parents may struggle to discuss with their kids — namely, sexual attraction versus romantic attraction and polyamory.

It's a book about a band, and its members are finding themselves linked in more ways than they anticipated.

Bahamas Passionfruit & Banana Flower Whipped Body Butter

I was a little surprised by this one, as well. But a bunch of the kids really like Bath & Body Works’ creams, so who am I to judge? In their words: “Who wants to be dusty and crusty and smell like a subway car, when you can be hydrated and not put people off with your funk?”

Space Is Gay Notebook

This gift for LGBTQIA kids is out-of-this-world wonderful, and perhaps even better than my terrible attempt at play-on words.

There's a lot of introspection that happens when you're figuring out where you land on the spectrum of sexuality, and one of the best ways I've found to parse it all out is through writing. A fun journal like this gives kids a safe space to do that.

Tiger Print Button Down

Agreed on by a whole swath of LGBTQIA kids, this shirt, in their words, “Is cute on the gays, better on the theys, femmes make it pretty, and stems make it theirs.” I think it’s adorable, personally, and the color is a flattering shade to so many skin tones.

I Love You sculpture

I am hard of hearing, and so is my daughter, and it’s kind of our personal mission to teach everyone some basics. For families, friends, and chosen family, learning the sign for “I love you,” is a great way to start, and a sculpture like this is a beautiful way to express to someone that you love them exactly how they are.

Subtle Lesbian Sapphic Pride Flag Colors Cow Sticker

I love that this was suggested. It's a subtle lesbian flag on a...cow, sticker. What fun! The subtle show of the pattern is nice for when you want to be a bit incognito about your pride because of where you are but who you are around, but any other lesbian would see this and know.

‘Hollow’ by Shannon Watters, Brandon Boyer-White, illustrated by Bernice Nelle

A wildly entertaining graphic novel for junior highers, Hollow, is a fun romp through the spooky village of Sleepy Hollow. It's full of magic, adventure, ghosts, and of course, plenty of gay panic.

You're absolutely going to want to read this if you buy it for your own kid, because it is so much fun, and so gorgeously illustrated.

540 Colors 3D Puzzle

Listen, if the kid you’re gifting has already mostly figured out the puzzle that is one’s identity, then this 3D rainbow puzzle will be an absolute breeze. It’s such a showpiece when it’s completed as well thanks to the included base. It is a more advanced puzzle, but fun for puzzleheads.

Jibbitz Rainbow Shoe Charms

Every kid that you know, LGBTQIA or otherwise, has Crocs. They're the most-popular shoe of the moment. (And who can blame them, they're like happy clouds for your feet.) Rainbow Jibbetz are a much-desired accessory. Even I, a woman in her 30s, has a few pride Jibbitz on my Crocs.

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