Ideas worth spreading

Why kids need to learn about gender and sexuality

2,634,969 views |

Lindsay Amer |

TED Residency

• May 2019

Lindsay Amer is the creator of "Queer Kid Stuff," an educational video series that breaks down complex ideas around gender and sexuality through songs and metaphors. By giving kids and their families a vocabulary to express themselves, Amer is helping to create more empathetic adults -- and spreading a message of radical acceptance in a world where it's sometimes dangerous to just be yourself. "I want kids to grow up and into themselves with pride for who they are and who they can be," Amer says.

Lindsay Amer is the creator of "Queer Kid Stuff," an educational video series that breaks down complex ideas around gender and sexuality through songs and metaphors. By giving kids and their families a vocabulary to express themselves, Amer is helping to create more empathetic adults -- and spreading a message of radical acceptance in a world where it's sometimes dangerous to just be yourself. "I want kids to grow up and into themselves with pride for who they are and who they can be," Amer says.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

Watch Lindsay’s web series "Queer Kid Stuff."

Bring a live Queer Kid Stuff performance to your community.

About the speaker

Lindsay Amer

Digital creator

See speaker profile

Lindsay "Lindz" Amer creates LGBTQ+ and social justice media for kids and families.

Rebecca Sugar | Watch

Steven Universe

This show on Cartoon Network was one of the first to explore the importance of chosen family and depict legibly queer characters in mainstream children's media.

Shadi Petosky | Watch

Danger and Eggs

This brilliant, critically acclaimed animated series about best friends DD Danger and Philip, a giant talking egg ends it's season at an LGBTQ+ pride festival, features a trans woman of color as the town's mayor, speaks beautifully to the character’s mental health, and turns fairytale tropes on their head.

National Geographic, 2017 | Article

Gender Revolution

This issue of National Geographic comprehensively explores gender from international historical, scientific and cultural perspectives.

Jennie Livingston, 1990 | Watch

Paris is Burning

This historic documentary covers the history of ballroom in LGBTQ+ culture, particularly focusing on the leadership of trans women of color in the movement.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

Watch Lindsay’s web series "Queer Kid Stuff."

Bring a live Queer Kid Stuff performance to your community.