June is upon us, and Pride is on the horizon! To celebrate Pride Month, the Mid-Missouri LGBT Coalition Event will be celebrating again this year with Mid-Missouri PrideFest. They have decided to ring in Pride a little bit later, on August 28th and 29th. For us, we thought we’d kick off Pride in June with our new booklist, “LGBTQIA+ Educational Resources for All Ages.”
When teachers come to the library and ask LGBTQIA+ related questions, they usually have three very specific questions:
- How can I introduce this material to my students?
- How can I learn more about this community to understand better?
- What can I recommend as resources for parents, family members, etc.?
Those are loaded questions. We want to be respectful with material, but we also want to offer the best that we have. Families are constantly changing. The LGBTQIA+ community is also constantly changing. To help with this, I have created a book list with books, online resources, and local resources.
Here are a few of my favorite books/resources from LGBTQIA+ Educational Resources for All Ages.
Youth Picture Books
“Families” (2015)
Written by Shelley Rotner
This book of families is one of my favorites because the families included are actual photographs, not drawings. Other titles with similar intentions tend to focus on portraying families through illustrations. Through the use of photographs, children can visually see different sizes and formats of what is considered a “family” without needing to imagine them through illustrations. Families are families, no matter what they look like on the outside.
“It Feels Good to Be Yourself: A Book About Gender Identity” (2019)
Written by Theresa Thorn
Thorn’s book does not exactly have a story, but instead, introduces different children and the identity they feel most comfortable labeling themselves. It is not a defined set of identities, but more of a guide on how labels work and how they can be helpful, but not necessarily a good fit for everyone. It is great for those who are new to the idea of gender as a part of the identity, as it slowly incorporates different gender identities. This is helpful for those who are new to this information or may be more resistant to the idea to adjust some old ideas they may hold onto about gender. It’s a great starting point as it works person by person, showing different representations of people.
Juvenile Chapter Books
“The Stonewall Riots: Coming Out in the Streets” (2019)
Written by Gayle Pitman
Pitman wrote this book as an informative first-look for younger readers on the Stonewall Riots. This book is formatted as a chapter book with each chapter focusing on an object. It starts with life before the riots, during and after, laying groundwork to help readers understand before having readers dive right in. It also contains a bibliography with primary and secondary sources labeled and a timeline, great for teaching students about research.
“Gay & Lesbian History for Kids; The Century-Long Struggle for LGBT Rights, with 21 Activities” (2015)
Written by Jerome Pohlen
Pohlen wrote this book as a chapter book geared towards school-aged children. The book is written for children with the writing style and content, but beneficial beyond just kids.
As an adult, I found this one important to read. The structure of the book is set up like a textbook with separate sections on different topics. I found it informative on LGBT+ history and super accessible to read.
Adult & Teen Titles
“Pride: The Story of the LGBTQ Equality Movement” (2020)
Written by Matthew Todd
This title is an adult or teen book.
Someone describing this to me called it a “coffee table” book, and, once I had copy in hand, I understood what they meant. This book is large, well-bound and beautiful.
Inside, the pages are filled with historical images that go through the LGBTQIA+ equality movement, listing events such as Stonewall as well as events from around the world. I was blown away by the story told through the images, some from Nazi invasions that rounded up LGBTQIA+ members all the way to more recent events
“Ace: What Asexuality Reveals About Desire, Society and the Meaning of Sex” (2020)
Written by Angela Chen
This title is an adult or teen book.
Ever needed a resource that gives a deep dive on information related to asexuality? Within the LGBTQIA+ community, asexuality is often overlooked or misunderstood. Chen offers a prospective that centers on an informative tone but also carries some of her experience as an asexual person. The book is a combination of interviews, cultural criticism and memoir; it brings in history, cultural perspective and her own lens of experiencing these things.
“Youth in Crisis: What Everyone Should Know About Growing Up Gay” (2011)
Written by Mitchell Gold and Mindy Drucker
This title is an adult or teen book.
This book covers a lot of things from a firsthand experience of LGBTQIA+ experiences and the church: religious discrimination, family and community rejection, school and social discrimination, workplace issues, losing a child, discussions of sin, isolation and resources. The most important takeaway for me was the resource section, where it has resources to DEFINITELY contact and resources to NEVER contact.
Local resources
The Center Project is located in Boone County. It is a community center for Mid-Missouri LGBTQIA+ community. The Center Project is best known for the Mid-Mo Pridefest. Traditionally, Pride happens in June, but to help our college students celebrate with us, it traditionally happens in Boone County in August.
According to the Center Project’s website, “The Center Project’s mission is to provide resources and a safe space for LGBTQ individuals to meet, to play and to grow. Our outreach focuses on youth, families and people living in rural areas.”
Some of their services include: The Clothing Closet, Mid-Mo Pridefest, Parents4Parents, PRISM, The Quorus, Gender Blender and more!
Nationwide resources
Resources available to LGBTQIA+ Youth.
The Trevor Project has a crisis hotline, as well as pages that can help to answer questions, find help from local resources and afar,.
The Trevor Project also has their own social media, called TrevorSpace, where people ages 13-24 can join and connect.
