GLBTQ+Youth

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 * G**ay, **L**esbian, **B**isexual, **T**ransgender, and **Q**ueer or **Q**uestioning youth are library patrons who are often overlooked in the creation of library policies. GLBTQ people make up an estimated 10 percent of the total population of the United States. This population is far too large to have its information needs ignored, especially in the case of youth services programs. An estimated 8 of 10 LGBTQ students are bullied or harassed in school settings. It is vital to provide an inclusive environment and adequate materials to the LGBTQ members of your community when youth have no other resources available.

This page will focus mainly on teen services, because they are more in need. However, there are age-appropriate resources which are LGBTQ-positive for younger readers. Consider including picture books such as //King and King//, //And Tango Makes Three//, and //Heather has Two Mommies// in your children's collection. Keep in mind when adding any of these to your collection that they have each been on ALA's list of frequently-challenged books. Fewer children's books are written on the subject of transgender or genderqueer individuals, but //10,000 Dresses// by Marcus Ewert and //My Princess Boy// by Cheryl Kilodavis introduce some basic concepts. //Be Who You Are// by Jennifer Carr is written not only for cisgender understanding of transgender children, but also for transgender children themselves.

=**Overview**=

The Basics of an Inclusive Library
It is a librarian’s responsibility to provide sufficient, unbiased information to all patrons under all circumstances. Librarians have the additional responsibility of ensuring that both the information provided and the presentation of that information are unbiased. According to Ellen Greenblatt, “The biggest obstacle that LGBTQ users face in libraries today is that of misinformation and prejudice.” Librarians can (and should) fight against these obstacles on behalf of all their patrons, no matter who they may be. According to Darla Linville’s survey of librarians and LGBTQ youth in 2004, nearly 25 percent of LGBTQ patrons felt judged in the library; only 20 percent of these youth felt they did not suffer harassment in the library. Worse, nearly 33 percent of the youth could not find what the LGBTQ resources they were looking for in their libraries. This alone should speak to the great need to build library collections and reference services for gay teens.

Librarians must strive to serve their LGBTQ patrons in their own knowledge of the subject, collection development, and programming. Official policies should be in place regarding these service aspects for LGBTQ patrons in particular in order to ensure access to their information needs in a safe environment. And finally, all library employees should be trained to be inclusive to all patrons, including LGBTQ patrons, in order to make them feel safe approaching staff for informational needs.

There are dire consequences for not providing needed information/material to this particular patron group, including both verbal abuse and violent attacks. According to the Day of Silence website, 90 percent of GLBTQ teens are harassed at school. Libraries should strive to be safe spaces with adequate access to information for both LGBTQ teens and straight allies seeking education about GLBTQ topics.

Common Myths
Greenblatt describes three common misconceptions, and why they are false:


 * **Myth #1: LGBTQ people don’t live in my community/attend my school.**
 * Between 2 and 4.5 percent of high school students identify as LGBTQ. 10 percent of the general population identifies as LGBTQ. Statistically, you are unlikely to have zero members of at least one branch of GLBTQ in your community.


 * **Myth #2: LGBTQ people don’t use my library.**
 * LGBTQ youth may not check books out (for fear of being "outed"), but the materials are being used, as evidenced by worn copies of books on the shelves. These “stealth patrons” still rely on the materials, even if they may be reluctant to check them out for any reasons. LGBTQ youth may use library computers to look up information anonymously, instead of at home or school.


 * **Myth #3: Offering services and materials to these people is promoting their “lifestyle.”**
 * This is the most commonly expressed of all the myths. It may be used in challenges against your materials. There is a “distinction between providing information and promoting material.” Librarians do not promote conservative politics simply because there are Ann Coulter books in the collection, any more than they promote a "gay lifestyle" when they provide information on the subject for their patrons. The ALA Library Bill of Rights states, “Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation.”
 * Furthermore, it is considered offensive by many LGBQ people to have their sexuality described as a "lifestyle." The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, better known as GLAAD, maintains for journalists a list of terms which are inappropriate to use for LGBTQ people or their circumstances. The list includes reasoning and justification for each entry, as well as alternative words and phrases to use instead. This list describes the reasoning behind listing "gay lifestyle" as thus: "There is no single lesbian, gay or bisexual lifestyle. Lesbians, gay men and bisexuals are diverse in the ways they lead their lives. The phrase "gay lifestyle" is used to denigrate lesbians and gay men, suggesting that their orientation is a choice and therefore can and should be "cured"."

Library Basics

 * Keep up with current GLBTQ issues, especially on the state and local levels.
 * Familiarize yourself with the[| list of offensive terms] maintained by GLAAD and avoid using them. Many straight allies do not realize that these terms can be offensive, and the list is mercifully short.
 * The term "gay marriage", while not offensive, is increasingly considered inappropriate because it implies that same-sex marriage is somehow different from opposite-sex marriage. "Marriage equality" is preferred instead.
 * Indicate which staff members are gay or transgender on staff name tags with stickers or symbols. “We are the ones who will make them comfortable in our space.”
 * Ensure that no staff members react negatively when any patron, regardless of age, requests or checks out LGBTQ materials.
 * Include LGBTQ patrons of all ages in your library's policies against discrimination.
 * Avoid generalizations - no one person identifies as "GLBTQ", for example, and a gay man and bisexual woman may have very different needs and wants. See the note above about "gay lifestyle."
 * Respect your patrons' rights to choose their own self-descriptors. Use their preferred terminology when possible. If for some reason you feel uncomfortable using that terminology (e.g. "queer", which has also been used as an insult), ask them what alternatives they would accept.

Special Acknowledgement

 * Publicly acknowledge that LGBTQ patrons live in your community and that they are welcome in the library. Rainbow flags are used by LGBTQ people and their allies to show support. Consider having a rainbow flag visible in the youth section (such as at the reference desk, if there is one) and/or a rainbow flag sticker at the door to the library.
 * If your area has a local Pride festival or parade, make a display of materials during the time before and after, when LGBTQ and allies are thinking about the subject. Even if you don't have a Pride event, June is widely considered to be Pride month in memory of the Stonewall Riots.
 * Connect teens to community information; post flyers for local queer youth meetings and LGBTQ centers.
 * Post flyers in the teen section directing youth to the It Gets Better videos on Youtube. The Arlington Public Library in Arlington, VA includes QR codes so that youth can use their smartphones to instantly access the videos.
 * Participate in nationwide events like Day of Silence (when feasible) and Transgender Remembrance Day. Promote participation in these events to your teens, making sure they are aware that these events are for allies as well as LGBTQ people.
 * Be receptive to teens' requests for events like coming out support groups, LGBTQ social groups, gay proms, and gay-straight alliance meetings. If the requested events are not possible due to budget, space, or time limitations, be clear as to the reasons why it can't work. Where possible, offer alternatives, either within the library or within other community centers.
 * Provide resource lists for materials about emotional, mental, and physical health issues that might be relevant to queer/trans youth. Example subjects include depression, anxiety, bullying, STIs, discrimination, and body image.

=Special Considerations for Transgender Youth= Transgender youth experience more hostility in their school environments. The 2011 GLSEN National School Climate Survey found that 80% of transgender students felt unsafe at school because of their gender identity. Although transgender people make up only 0.3% of the population of the United States, they are one of the most marginalized groups. 18% of the hate crimes reported in 2010 were targeted at transgender people. Transgender people deserve a respectful and welcoming library as much as anyone else.

Some guidelines:
 * If someone requests that you call him or her by a specific name or set of pronouns, respect his or her wishes and follow them, even if the person is not presenting him- or herself as the gender he/she identifies as. To continue calling that person "he" instead of "she", for example, is extremely rude. It denies the patron the right to his or her own identity.
 * "Transgender" tends to be a preferred term instead of "transsexual" or "transvestite" as the latter two terms are sometimes used in misguided ways. However, it is always appropriate to use the terminology preferred by each individual patron.
 * "Trans*" is shorthand that seeks to be inclusive of an entire spectrum of experiences, from cross-dressing, to transgender, to "post-op" transsexual, and thus is also a reasonable "go-to" term.
 * "Transgender" is an adjective - someone is a transgender person, not "a transgender" or "a transgendered" person.
 * Transgender people are not necessarily gay or lesbian, based on their self-identified gender. However, they do not necessarily identify as straight, either. As with anyone else, do not assume any particular sexual orientation until informed otherwise.
 * Be aware of the term and concept "cisgender". This term refers to anyone who identifies as the gender they were assigned at birth.
 * Do not neglect transgender-oriented material in your collection development! A list of book titles featuring transgender characters is available from [|Jackson Radish's blog], having been compiled through GoodReads. Not all of those titles are recommended or worthwhile, however, they do all feature trans characters.

GLAAD maintains a list of guidelines for understanding and appropriately addressing transgender people in their [|Media Reference Guide].

=Incorporating Allies=

School librarians can sponsor [|Gay-Straight Alliances] as extracurricular activities.

Both school and public librarians can participate in[| Ally Week], which is in October every year.

Be clear which LGBTQ-targeted programs are open to all (e.g. all-inclusive proms, guest lecturers) and which are only for LGBTQ youth (e.g. support groups, private Q&A sessions).

=Youth with LGBTQ Parents=

Advice for libraries coming soon. There is a 2008 report from GLSEN about [|students with LGBT parents] that highlights the importance of recognizing this group.

=Programming Possibilities=

Before beginning programming for LGBTQ youth, consider offering an online survey to everyone who uses the teen section. You can ask about their gender identity, their sexual orientation, whether they think the library's materials and space meet their information and safety needs, and what kinds of programs they think the community needs. An anonymous online survey is preferred to paper forms so that youth may feel comfortable revealing their gender identity or sexual orientation without fear of discrimination.

The [|Stonewall National Museum]is a library devoted strictly to the LGBTQ community, its authors, its history, its culture, etc. The Public Programs and Events Page has some interesting ideas for programs targeting this audience.

The LGBT Community Center in Denver, Colorado, while not a library, hosts a number of programs that could easily be adapted for the library setting. The center's //[|Something for Everyone]// 2011 Brochure lists a number of examples:
 * Youth LGBT Pride Fest: This celebration is held every year, during one weekend in June, complete with music, food, and a variety of entertainment activities.
 * Drag Show: The center hosts a multi-age drag show on the last Friday of each month.
 * LGBT Happy Hour: The center makes this a drinks and party activity, but any sort of social event might work just as well.
 * Providing LGBT educational programs and/or a space for support groups to meet.

The center also sponsors theatrical performances written and performed by members of the local LGBT community. This theatrical aspect could be adapted to incorporate an educational and/or fundraising element. For instance, it might be possible to host a series loosely modeled after Eve Ensler’s //[|Vagina Monologues],//but addressing LGBT issues. The //Vagina Monologues// is a series of short stories/monologues performed publically in groups every year, on a given day, to increase awareness about abuse of all kinds (physical, psychological, sexual, etc.) toward women, as well as to raise money to support anti-abuse causes. An LGBTQ version of this might feature stories that would raise awareness about abuse, bullying, self-esteem issues and various other issues as they specifically relate to the LGBTQ community.

Other ideas for programs:
 * Participate in Day of Silence, especially in school libraries, and Transgender Remembrance Day.
 * Support and social groups, including normal library activities like book clubs
 * Poetry and prose readings
 * Gay prom (particularly if your library has a large enough meeting room, and the local schools are discriminatory against LGBTQ youth)
 * It Gets Better video recording day - encourage adults to come to the library to record their own videos for the local youth, or youth to record supporting videos for their peers
 * Adult mentorship program, where adult GLBTQ people are matched with others to answer questions, provide support, and other such mentorship activities
 * Open Q&A day with local GLBTQ activists, community center staff, librarians, or other professionals qualified to speak on the subject
 * HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention day
 * Include queer-positive movies and books in regularly scheduled film or book clubs.
 * If you have a Teen Advisory Board, designate one (or more) member(s) as an LGBTQ Ambassador to provide ideas and insight
 * Provide outside LGBT groups access to space on an equal basis with any other organization who requests it

Make it clear that LGBTQ youth are always welcome to any regular programming. Though it is good to include and encourage straight allies to attend some programs for LGBTQ youth, they can be misinformed or operating with ill intentions, so it is important to give LGBTQ youth a time and space all their own. If you are straight and/or cisgender, consider finding an LGBTQ adult to help you run the programs effectively.

=**Collection**=

A diverse collection is essential to meet the needs of LGBTQ youth, their caregivers, and their communities. The library often serves as a lifeline for many LGBTQ youth who do not have access to resources elsewhere. As a largely invisible community, it is the librarian’s responsibility to provide resources and materials for LGBTQ youth regardless of his or her own personal beliefs. They are guided by the principles of the ALA Library Bill of Rights, which has been interpreted in to the following policy: “. . . books and other materials coming from gay, lesbian, bisexual, and/or transgender presses, gay, lesbian, bisexual and/or transgender authors or other creators, and materials regardless of format or services dealing with gay, lesbian, bisexual and/or transgender life are protected by the Library Bill of Rights. Librarians are obligated by the Library Bill of Rights to endeavor to select materials without regard to the sex, gender identity, or sexual orientation of their creators by using the criteria identified in their written, approved selection policies (ALA policy 53.1.5).

A clear collection development policy must be in place to aid the decision-making process. Though "homosexuality" is cited as a reason in just under 10% of book challenges from 1990-2010, at least one title of the top 10 challenged books in each year from 2002-2010 has been challenged for LGBTQ content. (Though not cited as a reason in the 2011 report, the //Alice// series by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor has been challenged for "homosexuality" in the past.) If your LGBTQ materials are challenged, your existing policy is crucial to protecting not only the library's intellectual freedom, but also the integrity of your collection. Martin and Murdock’s //Serving Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning Teens// provides excellent guidelines for creating policies for collection development. They suggest creating a non-discriminatory statement as part of a library’s collection development plans that should become a librarian’s “mantra.” They say you should “show them that you have an obligation to represent your entire community, including queer and questioning people” (Martin & Murdock 66). Every community, from the LGBTQ youth to their parents to their teachers, classmates, and neighbors, needs access to LGBTQ materials.

For LGBTQ youth, an LGBTQ collection may be a way for them to “see one’s face reflected in the pages of a book and thus find the corollary comfort that derives from the knowledge that one is not alone in the vast universe, that there are others ‘like me’ “ (Cart and Jenkins 1). For caregivers, an LGBTQ collection may provide them with resources to understand and support their children. Educators may need materials to promote tolerance and acceptance, especially with the increase of bullying in schools. Clearly, a LGBTQ collection is essential for public and school libraries.

**Recommendations for Collections**
Librarians should develop collections that include fiction and non-fiction in a variety of mediums. The most important thing is that the materials should be accessible and easy to find. They should not get lost in the adult section or buried within the collection. Accurate and thorough cataloging should take the variety of LGBTQ terms that patrons use into account. Displays and web bibliographies are also useful tools to providing more visibility to your LGBTQ collection; web bibliographies are particularly useful for the youths who are not yet "out," or who are not comfortable risking being seen looking at these materials in the library itself.

A variety of resources are available to assist in collection development. [|The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender Round Table of the American Library Association] is a pioneering organization (the first of its kind in the US) which provides librarians with resources for collection development, services, programming, and advocacy. Reading lists and bibliographies are available on the GLBT Round Table website. Librarians can also check out the Stonewall Book Award, the first award for LGBT books, given annually by the GLBT Round Table. The Stonewall Book Award added a specific award for children’s and young adult books in 2010. The GLBT Round Table and the Social Responsibilities Round Table also produce the [|Rainbow Book List], an annotated bibliography of the best GLBTQ books of the year for children and teens. Other awards for queer-themed books include the Gaylactic Spectrum Award, James Tiptree, Jr. Award, and the Lambda Literary Award.

Book reviews are always an excellent tool for librarians to select materials, and GLBTQ materials are no exception. LGBTQ book review publications include the Lambda Literary Foundation and the Gay and Lesbian Review Worldwide. As books with LGBTQ characters are becoming more prevalent, librarians can also use other book review forums to find materials. Bloggers are at the forefront of providing LGBTQ book reviews and resource lists. [|Lee Wind’s “I’m Here. I’m Queer. What the Hell Do I Read?” blog] is a shining example of a blog that provides reviews, resources, and strategies for improving collections for LGBTQ youth.

It is also important to consider other forms of diversity such as race, religion, or national identity when developing your LGBTQ collection. Strive to represent all kinds of experiences for your patrons.

Collection Basics

 * Offer materials with historical figures who were gay, or married but had same-sex partners.
 * Label some of the copies of books/materials with LGBTQ stickers, but leave some copies without stickers to retain anonymity for patrons, if desired.
 * Have books that offer information on gay relationships and sex, preferably which address heterosexual relationships/sex as well. If possible, offer images of gay sex that are not pornographic.
 * Carry a broad selection of queer-themed fiction.
 * Include material for gay men, lesbian women, bisexual people of any gender, transgender people, and other queer or questioning youth.
 * Include material intended for straight allies.
 * Pay attention to which kinds of books get used the most. Are there more books checked out about gay men than lesbians? Has there been a run on the bisexual books in the past few months? Are some titles clearly worn while others appear to have never been read? Adjust your collection appropriately, but be aware that every generation of kids will have different needs and wants than the one before. There may be no transgender women in one high school class, but two or three in the next one.
 * Pay extra attention to LGBTQ books and other physical media when examining for vandalism.
 * Consider keeping LGBTQ-subject books in a single section, or keeping a book list of recommended LGBTQ materials.

=Technology=

Multiple resources have found that LGBTQ youth, particularly those in rural settings, use technology and Internet sources to learn about their sexual orientations and gender identities, find and establish community, and obtain information about sexual health that is frequently overlooked in traditional sex education. While the Internet is no panacea (after all, modes of power that affect lives offline translate into online spaces, too), the ability for youth to anonymously and privately access information that threatens to "out" them and to establish peer-to-peer connections semi-anonymously (or in the absence of social spaces to do so offline) is one service a library can offer. Tools like social networking sites provide "a space to articulate...identificatory movement as [youth] learn to 'do queer' for the first time. For queer youth, in particular, online networking services such as MySpace [and, in the current age, Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr] may facilitate a new level of social mobility, and the opportunity to develop countertexual and incomplete identities within the monologic of a heteronormative public."

A critical issue along this front is Internet filtering software commonly installed in public school libraries and youth spaces in public libraries that all-too-often automatically block sites with any LGBTQ content at all, even content that is age-appropriate. This issue can block access to information that can facilitate the process of coming out, much-needed sexual health information (often absent in straight-focused sex education curricula), and support groups and suicide prevention hotlines focused on LGBTQ issues. Often, due to CIPA restrictions or other policy restrictions, librarians cannot change this situation within their spaces, but librarians can advocate for less restrictive Internet policy, which can improve access for all patrons--including LGBTQ youth.

=Intersectionality=

In the quest to develop "safe spaces" in the library for LGBTQ-identified youth, it is well to remember that sexuality and gender identity are not experienced in isolation from--or even in tandem with--other identities such as race, class, gender, and religion. Instead, all of these identities interact with each other in complex and mutually informing ways. In other words, a gay Asian male youth will not experience the world as "gay" plus "Asian" plus "male," but rather uniquely as a gay Asian male. Centering experiences based solely in sexuality can "normalize" the safe space as being established for the white, middle-class, male subject. "An additive model centers gay white male experiences as the foundation upon which all other experiences are to be built" in LGBTQ "safe spaces," which ends up creating false safety--or even outright hostility--for LGBTQ youth of color. As noted in "collection development," it is critical for youth to see themselves portrayed in light of all of their identities. It is also just as critical for libraries, as they promote safe spaces, not to conflate safety with comfort, and be willing to address issues of gender and race--which are just as critical in youth's lives--even in LGBTQ safe spaces. Incorporating intersectional approaches to programming, collection development, and even policy or mission statements may require more critical work and careful attention on the librarian's part, but the cost of exclusion is great.

=Dealing with Negativity, Discrimination, or Other Problems=

Don't hesitate to contact authorities and professionals before you take any action. The ACLU maintains [|a list of important documents] about LGBTQ youth rights, previous court cases, and informative articles about dealing with discrimination. The list also contains general reference materials, some aimed at adults, others at youth.

If there is discrimination in local media, you can report it to GLAAD [|at this page].

Be aware local LGBT groups or centers, if any, so that you can refer youth in need to their services or ask them for help. Keep their contact info (phone number, email, physical address) at hand, if possible.

Keep a list of important phone numbers, including suicide hotlines, at your desk. If you are worried about the mental health of any youth in your library, especially in the case of suicidal tendencies, tell someone else - their parents, teachers, or a counselor.

Make sure your library has appropriate collection development policies in place before materials are challenged. If a book is challenged, contact the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom first to [|report the challenge]. The OIF can help you [|deal with a challenge], and provides [|information on preventative measures]as well. The OIF also has a page about maintaining access to LGBT-oriented materials titled [|Out in the Library].

Report to your library's director and your supervisors, if any, so that you can put on a coordinated front.

=**A selection of recommended materials:**=

**Non-Fiction**
Belge, Kathy, and Marke Bieschke. //Queer: The Ultimate LGBT Guide for Teens//. San Francisco, CA: Zest Books, 2011. Print.

//Hear Me Out!: Lesbian, Gay and Transgender Teens Tell Their Stories //. Toronto, Ont: Second Story, 2004. Print.

Huegel, Kelly. //GLBTQ: The Survival Guide for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning Teens//. Minneapolis, Minn: Free Spirit Pub, 2011. Print.

Keen, Lisa. //Out Law: What Lgbt Youth Should Know About Their Legal Rights//. Boston, MA: Beacon Press, 2007. Print.

Levithan, David, and Billy Merrell. //The Full Spectrum: A New Generation of Writing About Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, and Other Identities//. New York: Knopf, 2006. Print.

Macgillivray, Ian K. //Gay-straight Alliances: A Handbook for Students, Educators, and Parents//. New York: Harrington Park Press, 2007. Print.

Marcus, Eric. //What If Someone I Know Is Gay?: Answers to Questions About What It Means to Be Gay and Lesbian//. New York: Simon Pulse, 2007. Print.

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Savage, Dan, and Terry Miller. //It Gets Better: Coming Out, Overcoming Bullying, and Creating a Life Worth Living//. New York: Dutton, 2011. Print.

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Savin-Williams, Ritch C. //Mom, Dad, I'm Gay: How Families Negotiate Coming Out//. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association, 2001. Print.

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Stevenson, Michael R, and Jeanine C. Cogan. //Everyday Activism: A Handbook for Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual People and Their Allies//. New York: Routledge, 2003. Print.

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Wright, Kai. //Drifting Toward Love: Black, Brown, Gay, and Coming of Age on the Streets of New York//. Boston: Beacon Press, 2008. Print.

**Fiction**
Bauer, Marion D. //Am I Blue?: Coming Out from the Silence//. New York: HarperCollins, 1994. Print.

Beam, Cris. //I Am J//. New York: Little, Brown, 2011. Print.

Garden, Nancy. //Annie On My Mind.// New York: Farrar Straus Giroux, 1992. Print.

Goode, Laura. //Sister Mischief//. Somerville, Mass: Candlewick Press, 2011. Print.

Green, John, and David Levithan. //Will Grayson, Will Grayson//. New York: Dutton, 2010. Print.

Frazer, Megan. //Secrets of Truth and Beauty//. New York: Hyperion Books, 2009. Print.

Hartinger, Brent. //Geography Club//. New York: Harper/Tempest, 2004. Print.

Horner, Emily. //A Love Story Starring My Dead Best Friend//. New York: Dial Books, 2010. Print

Johnson, Maureen. //The Bermudez Triangle//. New York: Razorbill, 2004. Print

Klise, James. //Love Drugged//. Woodbury, Minn: Flux, 2010. Print.

Kluger, Steve. //My Most Excellent Year: A Novel of Love, Mary Poppins, & Fenway Park//. New York: Speak, 2009. Print

LaRochelle, David. //Absolutely, Positively Not//. New York: Arthur A. Levine Books, 2005. Print.

Levithan, David. //Boy Meets Boy//. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2003. Print.

Peters, Julie A. //Luna: A Novel//. New York: Little, Brown, 2004. Print.

Sonnie, Amy. //Revolutionary Voices: A Multicultural Queer Youth Anthology//. Los Angeles: Alyson Books, 2000. Print.

Sanchez, Alex. //Rainbow Boys//. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2001. Print.

Wikinson, Lily. //Pink//. New York: HarperTeen, 2011. Print.

Wittlinger, Ellen. //Hard Love//. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 1999. Print.

Woodson, Jacqueline. //From the Notebooks of Melanin Sun//. New York: Blue Sky Press, 1995. Print.

**Films**
Brummel, Bill, Geoffrey Sharp, Jane Lynch, Jamie Dunlap, John Rhode, Jason Newfield, and Dan Wolfmeyer. //Bullied: [a Student, a School and a Case That Made History]//. Montgomery, Ala.: Southern Poverty Law Center, 2010.

Gustafson, Tom, Cory J. Krueckeberg, Peter Sterling, Tanner Cohen, Wendy Robie, Judy McLane, Jill Larson, and Jessica Fogle. //Were the World Mine//. New Almaden, CA: Wolfe Video, 2009.

Professional Collection Materials
Blackburn, Mollie V. //Acting Out!: Combating Homophobia Through Teacher Activism//. New York: Teachers College Press, 2010. Print.

Chasnoff, Debra, Helen S. Cohen, Bisse Bowman, Kate Lyman, Kim Coates, Fawn Yacker, Stephen McCarthy, and Shirley Thompson. //It's Elementary: Talking About Gay Issues in School//. Harriman, N.Y.: New Day Films, 1996

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Further Reading and Resources=


 * ALA GLBT Round Table - info
 * Cybergrrl - Collection of resources about women, geared toward lesbian issues.
 * Freeality Internet Search: Gay and Lesbian Resources - Megadirectory of LGBT search engines and searchable LGBTQ sites, with links to major LGBTQ organizations.
 * GayZoo - Wide range of community and personal pages.
 * PrideLinks! - Directory of more than 8,700 links. Site is searchable and browseable by topic.
 * WWWomen: Lesbians - Lesbian section of a women-oriented directory. Categories contain annotated links to Web sites. Site is searchable.