13-05-2025
Parents outraged as children at a daycare centre are urged to dress up in rainbow colours and eat fairy bread as part of LGBTQ celebration
A daycare centre's upcoming LGBTQI celebration with a rainbow-coloured dress code and fairy bread making has come under fire.
Margaret Ives Community Children's Centre announced its plans to commemorate the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Interphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT) this Friday in a letter to parents earlier this week.
The Adelaide centre invites the preschool-aged children to wear 'as much colour as possible – rainbows encouraged'.
It explained that children will be read excerpts from different books on the subject before ending the day making fairy bread - an Aussie party favourite which consists of buttered slices of bread covered in colored sprinkles.
It's the third consecutive year the event has been commemorated to honour its diverse broader community.
'We are incredibly passionate about fostering a nurturing environment where every child feels safe, seen, and celebrated for who they truly are,' the letter stated.
'At Margaret Ives, we work intentionally to challenge gender stereotypes and ensure authentic representation of the many ways people live, love, and form families.'
'We guide children to understand and value that families can take many forms – whether nuclear, single parents same-sex parents, foster or surrogate parents, blended families and beyond.'
The event has sparked an outcry from parents.
One told The Advertiser a number of parents felt the subject was inappropriate for preschool-aged kids but were afraid to raise their concerns for fear of backlash.
They added some parents felt their rights to control their children's sexual and gender education had been undermined.
'Parents are not happy as the option of when and how to introduce the topic of sex, sexuality and gender issues is being taken away from (them),' they told the publication.
'These are serious and private topics that the parents feel need to be discussed when the family and child is ready - not dictated by a child care centre.'
They added parents were reluctant to raise their concerns with management out of fear they may be considered homophobic.
In a blog post published to its website in advance of last year's celebration, 'Bottlebrush' team leader Sarah Bowden wrote: 'Early childhood is a critical time for children to learn about diversity and inclusion.'
'Celebrating IDAHOBIT teaches young children about the importance of respecting and accepting everyone regardless of gender, binary or family dynamic.'
The Bottlebrush room hosts children aged between 18 months and four years.
'We respect the identity of each child that is shared with us by their parents/caregivers unless the child explicitly informs us otherwise.'
Ms Bowden said Margaret Ives' commitment to respecting gender identity has nothing to do with sexual orientation and urged parents to 'familiarise themselves' with the definition of gender identity as distinct from biological sex.
'Gender identity may or may not align with the sex assigned to [a person] at birth. It's important to recognise that gender identity is deeply personal and may vary from person to person,' she wrote.
Last year's celebration had a similar rainbow theme and involved readings from 'The Family Book' and 'Pink is for Boys' by Robb Pearlman for Bottlebrush students.
This option was also made available to children below the age of two-and-a-half.
Those aged between three-and-a-half and school age were read 'Two Homes' by Claire Masurel, 'Heather has Two Mummies' by Leslea Newman and 'Be Exactly Who You Are' by Laura Gehl.
