Many may not know where to start in finding comics that support the LGBTQ + community . There are several places to receive suggestions . The first is the GLAAD Media Awards . They have an entire awards category devoted to “ Outstanding Comic Books .” Another resource is queercomicsdatabase . com , a review site run by two library people who collect LGBTQ + titles and catalog them with age appropriateness , possible triggers , reviews from other websites , and more . Another way to create a supportive community in your library is to buy from authors who identify as LGBTQ +. Titles written by authors in this genre are not always about LGBTQ + characters , but they can be . The # OwnVoices movement has been instrumental in helping people write the stories of their communities , including the LGBTQ + community .
It is not enough to just purchase these titles and stick them on the shelves . Another important part about building an accepting community for all readers is through library programming . Often , students in the LGBTQ + community won ’ t seek out titles or come ask what you have available . In a 2017 study of the National School Climate survey published by GLSEN , researchers found that “ less than half ( 41.0 %) [ of the students ] reported that they could find books or information on LGBTQ related topics , such as LGBTQ history , in their school library ( 34.9 % of students reported they could find “ a few ,” 6.1 % reported they could find “ many ,” 27.9 % indicated that they could not find any , and 31.1 %
REFERENCES
Office of Intellectual Freedom . ( 2020 , January 24 ). Top ten most challenged books lists . American Library Association . Retrieved from http :// www . ala . org / advocacy / bbooks / frequentlychallengedbooks / top10
Alverson , B . ( 2018 , May 17 ). Just another day in an LGBTQ Comic . School Library Journal . Retrieved from https :// www . slj . com /? detailStory = just-another-day-in-an-lgbtq-comic
Kaplan , A . ( 2019 , June 11 ). Getting queer comics Into libraries . The MNT . Retrieved from https :// www . comicsmnt . com /? p = 2570
Kosciw , J . G ., Ph . D ., Greytak , E . A ., Ph . D ., Zongrone , A . D ., M . P . H ., Clark , C . M ., Ph . D ., Truong , N . L ., Ph . D . ( 2018 ). The 2017 National School Climate Survey . GLSEN . Retrieved from https :// www . glsen . org / sites / default / files / 2019-10 / GLSEN-2017-National-School-Climate-Survey-NSCS-Full-Report . pdf
Ream , G . L . Ph . D . ( 2019 Jan 30 ). What ’ s unique about lesbian , gay , bisexual , and transgender ( LGBT ) youth and young adult suicides ? Findings from the national violent death reporting system . Journal of Adolescent Health . 64 ( 5 ), 602-607 , https :// doi . org / 10.1016 / j . jadohealth . 2018.10.303
reported that they didn ’ t know )” ( Kosciw , et . al ., 2019 ). We must work to improve visibility of these titles once we have them .
One way to increase visibility is by creating a poster for your wall or website showing off the covers , a reading list displayed in a collection or digitally , or , more subtly , bookmarks that patrons can snag and use to find books . Avoid spine labels or anything else that would outwardly show other students what another student is reading if you live in an area that does not support the LGBTQ + community . After you have made your resources , see if your school has a GSA club ( Gay-Straight Alliance ) and pass out your materials to encourage checkout . Do a book tasting where you include a few LGBTQ + titles amongst the others until the topic becomes a normal part of your library scene . Encourage teens in the LGBTQ + community to share their ideas on how you can support them and / or promote the books you have in your library .
LGBTQ + comics are not just for our students who belong to this community . The best connection I ’ ve made all year is handing Fatimah , an African-American Muslim student , Bingo Love by Tee Franklin , illustrated by Jenn St-Onge , in which an African-American woman and a Hispanic woman reconnect after decades of being forced to live hetero-normative lives . The pureness of their love for each other brought Fatimah to tears of happiness and appreciation . When asked why she is drawn to LGBTQ + comics , Fatimah replied , “ I feel like it ’ s important to learn more about different types of cultures , and for LGBTQ , I feel like it is important for people to know more about it and learn about it and see who they are now in America . It is OK to be part of that community , it ’ s OK to be who you are ’’ ( Fatimah , personal communication , 17 March 2020 ). Even though Fatimah does not identify as part of the LGBTQ + community , she appreciates their stories and includes them in the fabric of her America . She has been instrumental to the shift of culture in my library to one of acceptance of people from all walks of life .
Reading creates empathy . In my conservative , rural high school , I have seen in the last six years the transformation from shaming any same-sex couples holding hands to students being celebrated for their differences . All our students deserve to be accepted and loved , and we as librarians have the power to create a place where that is a reality .
ABOUT THE AUTHOR • Sara Smith is a Teacher Librarian in a rural town in California ’ s Central Valley . She taught English for six years before moving into the library , where she has been for six years . Her graphic novel section is currently 11 % of her entire collection . She is an avid reader of graphic novels and reviews them at graphiclibrary . org .
16 diamondbookshelf . com