I’m Coming Out: The Ins and Outs of

Serving GLBTQ Teens

Monica HarrisOak Park Public Library

11.20.09

Beginning at the Beginning

• What does GLBTQ mean?

• Why the words matter

• Terminologyo Homosexualo Lifestyle

More Definitions (adapted from Serving LBGT and Q Teens by Hillias J. Martin and James R. Murdoch, 2007)

• Transgendero People who dress or

behave in a way that differs from traditional gender expectations

• Transsexualo People who seek hormone

therapy and reassignment surgery to change their sex.

• Intersexo People who are born with

the sexual organs of both sexes

More Definitions (cont.)

• Queero Traditionally meant sexually deviant or abnormal. Gays and

lesbians began reclaiming the word in the 1980so Today considered the most inclusive terms to encompass

lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and trans people.

• Gendero Construct that reflects society’s expectations of how

someone of a given sex should look, act and behave. o Broken down: sex is biological, gender is social

Symbols of Pride

• Pink Triangleo Now a gay rights and gay

pride symbol. o Was originally used to

identify gay men as a Nazi concentration camp flag.

• Rainbow Flago Represents the diversity of

gays and lesbians around the world.

o Greater use after the 1978 assassination of politician Harvey Milk

Why Focus on GLBTQ Teens?

• The average coming out age is now 13 years old according to a recent study reported in the Florida Sun-Sentinal (October 11th, 2006).

• Boys’ average age when coming out is slightly lower, while girls’ average age is slightly higher.

Why Focus on GLBTQ Teens?

• Roughly 5 to 6 percent of teens in the US identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual.

• The population of questioning teens is even larger, with nearly 20 percent of teens having engaged in sexual behavior with someone of the same sex.

• GLBTQ teens live in every community: urban, suburban, and rural.

Why Focus on GLBTQ Teens?

• While trying to deal with all the challenges of being a teen, GLBTQ teens additionally have to deal with harassment, threats, and violence directed at them on a daily basis.

• They hear anti-gay slurs such as "homo", "faggot" and "sissy" about 26 times a day or once every 14 minutes

Why Focus on GLBTQ Teens?

• A recent study found that thirty-one percent of gay youth had been threatened or injured at school in the last year alone.

• The Safe Schools Coalition Web site notes that research done for the FBI in 1998 found that these GLBTQ teenagers make up 30 to 40 percent of the nation's homeless youths.

Why Focus on GLBTQ Teens?

• Research has found that the people who have the most positive attitudes toward gay men, lesbians and bisexuals are those who say they know one or more gay, lesbian or bisexual person well—often as a friend or co-worker.

• Exposure of the public towards gay characters in movies, television, and books often offers a new perspective on the humanity of the GLBTQ community.

A New Generation

• 75% of teens approve of civil unions or marriage for gays and lesbians, while only 20 to 27% of adults approve.

• More LGBT characters and reality programs are available in popular media – although they still make up only 3% of broadcast TV characters in the 2009-2010 season (GLAAD).o http://www.thrfeed.com/2009/09/

study-gay-characters-on-broadcast-reach-alltime-high.html

 

 

Media Stereotypes and the New Debates

• Does it matter if the media portrays so many gay characters as "fey"?

• Lesbians on television face different issues      

• Important to remember that not every LGBTQ person will fall under the umbrella of people we see on television. 

Where is the Library’s Role in This?

• Homophobia often manifests in isolation and fear for many queer teenso Likely to have smaller social networks than other

teenso Fear of rejection or retribution from parents

• Access to books, magazines, and online resources can break the silence and know they are not alone.

• Reading is a personal and private activity

What is the Library’s Role in This?

• LGBTQ teens are looking for role modelso “I know there are a lot of

bisexual people but you just can’t find them because there’s always that fear. A book is like a substitute for the real thing and its good enough. Well, for me it is.” -14 year old teen

interviewed for Serving Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning Teens.

What does Your Community Need?

• What’s right for my library may not be right for yours• You know your community best

o Do a surveyo Review the research

• Only 20% of teens surveyed felt safe from harassment in the library

• Remember that branches and small collections still need more than one or two titles.

• Biggest divide is not red state/blue state, but urban/rural

More Great Books to Explore

 

Building Your Collection (adapted from SLJ, January 2006)

• Start with good quality and current bibliographies.

• Talk to other librarians and professionals serving GLBTQ teens about their suggestions.

Building Your Collection

• Support your selections with good reviews.

• Make sure your kids can find them with good cataloging and bibliographies available in your library and on your website.

Building Your Collection

• Include gay titles in booktalks and summer reading lists.

• Make the books accessible to teens, but don’t label them with rainbows or pink triangles.

Building Your Collection

• Have collection development and book-challenge policies in place so that everyone knows the proper procedures.

• Trust yourself, and don’t be afraid. You know your community best, so do what will work in your library.

What is Still Missing from YA GLBTQ Fiction?

• GLBTQ titles featuring people of color – especially African American boys and men

• YA books featuring gay to lesbian characters are published at approximately a 3-to-1-ratio.

• Bisexual characters (particularly male)• Trans identities (although that has started to

change)• More titles featuring joy and humor

What’s Still Missing?

• Periodicalso YGA (Young Gay

America) no longer in print

o Not other print publication to fill the void at deadline

Why don’t libraries offer (more) LGBTQ material?

• Fear of challenges

• Fear of losing funding over controversy

• Assuming ILL availability

• Lack of awareness or denial of the population

Preparing for a Challenge

• GLBTQ books are among those most frequently challenged

• Provide for balanceo Point/Counterpoint series by Chelsea House

• Consult your library’s collection development plan• Be prepared to explain that your collection strives

for balance• Know who is working with individuals to take books

out of librarieso PABBIS (Parents Against Bad Books in Schools)

What Would You Do?

Self evaluation

• How many LGBTQ titles can you name off the top of your head?

• How many subject headings for a catalog search can you name off the top of your head?

• Which supporting organizations in your community can you name?

• Note which LBGTQ titles you have and which are available in the branches.

• Look at the atmosphere of your library- from visibility of your titles and displays to staff body language

Creating a Safe Space

• Visibility and Integration

• No assumptions

• Respect Teen Privacy

• No Hate Language Allowed

• http://www.glsen.org/cgi-bin/iowa/educator/library/record/1641.html

Promotion

• GLBTQ History month is celebrated in October.

• National Day of Silence (April 18th) youth-run day to commemorate and protest anti-LGBT bullying, harassment, and discrimination in schools.

• Pride is typically celebrated in the month of June.

Promotion

• Over 10% of high schools now have recognized Gay-Straight Alliance clubs. See if your high school has one, and partner with them if they do.

• Remember diversity and sensitivity in all of your promotional material for the library. 

Great Resources

• Martin, Hillias J., and James R. Murdoch. Serving Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning Teens. 1st ed. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc., 2007.

• Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults 2006 – GLBTQ: http://www.ala.org/ala/yalsa/booklistsawards/popularpaperback/06ppya.htm#glbtq

• Alex Sanchez’s Great Gay Teen Books: http://www.alexsanchez.com/gay_teen_books.htm

• The Safe Schools Coalition: http://www.safeschoolscoalition.org/

• Pink Books: http://www.pinkbooks.com/

More Resources

• Rainbow Project’s Awards for books 2005-07 http://www.myspace.com/rainbow_list

• Matthew’s Place. A support site for GLBTQ Youth http://www.matthewsplace.com/

• Supporting Gay Teen Literature by David Levithan (2004): http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA456885.html

More Resources

• Databases and Toolso GenderWatch (ProQuest)o GLBT Life (Ebsco)o GLBTQ Encyclopedia (www.glbtq.com)

• National Organizationso Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN)

www.glsen.orgo Human Rights Campaign www.hrc.orgo National Youth Advocacy Coalition www.nyacyouth.orgo PFLAG: Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and

Gays (www.pflag.org)o Safe Schools Coalition www.safeschoolscoalition.org

References

• Cloud, John. "The Battle Over Gay Teens." Time 02 October 2005 http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1112856,00.html

• Safe Schools Coalition. March 2007. Safe Schools Coalition. 27 Mar 2007 http://www.safeschoolscoalition.org/

• Martin, Hillias J., and James R. Murdoch. Serving Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning Teens. 1st ed. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc., 2007.

• Whelan, Debra Lau. "Out and Ignored." School Library Journal 01 January 2006 20 03 2007 http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6296527.html

Questions? Contact Me

Monica HarrisAssistant Manager ofAdult and Teen Services

mharris@oppl.orghttp://www.opplteen.org/