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[CCBC-Net] My bibliography of gender variance and transgression
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From: Kbshepler at aol.com <Kbshepler>
Date: Thu, 3 Jul 2008 16:47:51 EDT
In a message dated 5/22/2008 11:16:22 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time, jcothron at actionnet.net writes: There has been a long tradition in children's literature of both girls and boys disguising themselves as persons of the other gender in order to achieve safety or to accomplish a specific task. ... I see a difference between books whose protagonists disguise themselves to accomplish a task and those whose identities do not fit their bodies' gender expression. ... There has to be an easier way for young people to find reflections of GLBTQ realities in literature than searching the library book by book. Bibliographies are one answer, but I question the effectiveness of a gender variance bibliography watered down with books about the adventures of boys and girls in disguise. It is vitally important for publishers, booksellers, librarians, aunts, uncles, parents and teachers to locate and make available books which truly reflect GLBTQ lives. It is also important to accurately and honestly describe what is being offered. I would appreciate comments and discussion of this topic. Thanks-- Jane Cothron
Sorry to take so long in responding to this post, Jane. I truly appreciate it and want to stress my support of your questioning. I feel especially inadequate at building an elementary level library where books address GLBTQ mirrors/windows. The only materials really seem to be those picture books that show same gender marriage/living arrangements. Thank goodness for those, but it is not enough.
We have three very young students at my school that are "gender fluid"
(using that expression at this stage of their life seems right). Some of the students and their families have chosen to embrace in their non-biological gender openly, others have felt more reserve and wish to remain "unrevealed". But it is our job to provide all our school family with a safe and supportive environment - those students who have come out; those who have not; those students who are straight; those families that ache to provide their kids with a supportive place to be themselves; and those families who feel uneasy about this
"brave new world". I would wish for more materials that show respect and sensitivity to these gender fluid kids. I worry about how the transgender child feels when the only books near to the subject show children who can just change their clothes and everything is fine. What about the child who doesn't feel
"fine" because the clothes are not the issue, it's the spirit inside that cannot be wardrobe changed.
Thanks for bringing this subject up.
Kathy Shepler, Librarian Aurora School Oakland, CA
**************Gas prices getting you down? Search AOL Autos for fuel-efficient used cars. (http://autos.aol.com/used?ncid=aolaut00050000000007)
Received on Thu 03 Jul 2008 03:47:51 PM CDT
Date: Thu, 3 Jul 2008 16:47:51 EDT
In a message dated 5/22/2008 11:16:22 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time, jcothron at actionnet.net writes: There has been a long tradition in children's literature of both girls and boys disguising themselves as persons of the other gender in order to achieve safety or to accomplish a specific task. ... I see a difference between books whose protagonists disguise themselves to accomplish a task and those whose identities do not fit their bodies' gender expression. ... There has to be an easier way for young people to find reflections of GLBTQ realities in literature than searching the library book by book. Bibliographies are one answer, but I question the effectiveness of a gender variance bibliography watered down with books about the adventures of boys and girls in disguise. It is vitally important for publishers, booksellers, librarians, aunts, uncles, parents and teachers to locate and make available books which truly reflect GLBTQ lives. It is also important to accurately and honestly describe what is being offered. I would appreciate comments and discussion of this topic. Thanks-- Jane Cothron
Sorry to take so long in responding to this post, Jane. I truly appreciate it and want to stress my support of your questioning. I feel especially inadequate at building an elementary level library where books address GLBTQ mirrors/windows. The only materials really seem to be those picture books that show same gender marriage/living arrangements. Thank goodness for those, but it is not enough.
We have three very young students at my school that are "gender fluid"
(using that expression at this stage of their life seems right). Some of the students and their families have chosen to embrace in their non-biological gender openly, others have felt more reserve and wish to remain "unrevealed". But it is our job to provide all our school family with a safe and supportive environment - those students who have come out; those who have not; those students who are straight; those families that ache to provide their kids with a supportive place to be themselves; and those families who feel uneasy about this
"brave new world". I would wish for more materials that show respect and sensitivity to these gender fluid kids. I worry about how the transgender child feels when the only books near to the subject show children who can just change their clothes and everything is fine. What about the child who doesn't feel
"fine" because the clothes are not the issue, it's the spirit inside that cannot be wardrobe changed.
Thanks for bringing this subject up.
Kathy Shepler, Librarian Aurora School Oakland, CA
**************Gas prices getting you down? Search AOL Autos for fuel-efficient used cars. (http://autos.aol.com/used?ncid=aolaut00050000000007)
Received on Thu 03 Jul 2008 03:47:51 PM CDT
