I know that some readers do not understand the need for a Pride Month. 

Perhaps you’re in the particularly vocal camp that’s taken to local-focused social media groups to let people know that you believe Pride Month is not appropriate for America’s children because kids shouldn’t be exposed to sexuality. 

Did you know that tens of thousands of Sullivan County kids see sexuality in action every day, right at home? 

Let’s examine the evidence. 

1. Sexuality is defined medically by Merriam-Webster as “a person’s sexual identity or self-identification as bisexual, heterosexual, gay, etc.” The dictionary notes that this term is synonymous with “sexual orientation.” 

2. Heterosexual is defined by Merriam-Webster as “of, relating to, or characterized by sexual or romantic attraction to or between people of the opposite sex.”

3. The same dictionary provides the following definitions of mom — a female parent — and dad — a male parent.

4. It goes on to define “male” as “having a gender identity that is the opposite of female” and “female” as “having a gender identity that is the opposite of male.”

5.  According to data from the UCLA Law School, there are 186 “same-sex couples” living in Sullivan County, and 19.8 percent of them are raising children, which works out to 37 households. 

6. According to data from Mid-Hudson Valley Community Profiles, 60 percent of Sullivan County’s children live in two-parent households.

7. Per U.S. Census data, there are a total of 18,389 family households in Sullivan County, 60 percent of which would be 11,033 households.

8. If you subtract 37 from 11,033, you get 10,996 Sullivan County households where children are living in homes with a male parent and a female parent. 

9. While data regarding the exact number of kids per Sullivan County household doesn’t exist, the national average is 1.94 per household. 

10. If you multiply 10,996 Sullivan County two-parent households by 1.94, you get 21,332 Sullivan County children who are living in homes in which — by definition — sexuality is on display every day with one male parent and one female parent who are displaying romantic attraction to one another. 

Are you sure kids shouldn’t be exposed to sexuality?