By: Regina McMenamin Lloyd
Hating the Other
I can't say I remember a time of "hate." I do remember a time of fear. I remember thinking gay was "weird." My first memory was a neighbor whose mother was a lesbian although I actually heard she was a "Lesi-bean." I remember thinking she seemed nice but in my head she still was "weird." I didn't know another out gay person until I was a teenager. |
Schmidt referenced this book as a boy critically reviewed as offensive because of an African American Child depicted. Image used under the Creative Commons borrowed from: http://libguides.depauw.edu/. | My parents taught me to be respectful of people. My Catholic school taught me that it was not a sin to be gay, but rather to act on that "sin." I realize there is an inequality in that message. But I liken it to a Gary Schmidt lecture, entitled " How We Got to where we are: The Beginnings of American Children’s Literature and Why it Matters to Writers Today," which I attended at Hamline University last summer. Schmidt (and I am paraphrasing) suggested that the books that dealt with diversity in the "wrong way" made a path for the books that could get a closer cut at the right way. You are inheriting the literature history and a responsibility. ~Gary Schmidt |
How was it that I had learned acceptance?
The biggest influence in my road to accepting others was my oldest sister. She was a sociology major when I was in my teens she brought home books and discussed them with our family. She brought home friends who were very lovely people, and if they were girls who liked girls it never seemed to matter. I specifically remember an argument she used with me, that I still use with myself twenty-five years later. "If we believe we as women deserve equality, how can we ask for anything else for gay people, African Americans, minority groups?" My sister taught me advocacy. |
But books helped too!
Adult | Buried in a story of rape, feminism, and the southern black experience, there is a love story. Celie's love for Shug starts as a question of obsessive interest then moves into a place of love. While Shug is not a faithful person her love for Celie is evident. Love doesn't mean monogamy for Shug, and there is a clear understanding about the nature of bisexuality. |
While not specifically a book for teens, during my teens I read "Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe." Flagg depicts the romantic love of Ruth and Idgie. It is a love built on protection and trust from their teen years. While there are other "truths" explored in this book, the thing that propelled the story was the epic love of Idgie and Ruth. The producers of the movie chose to make it a strong friendship, but the book was love. |
Sinclair is on a journey of truth. He gets mucked up in sexuality, image of self, guilt and questioning religion. Hesse never clearly speaks to Sinclair's sexuality, and it is often confused. However, in any murky waters be it sexuality or other life choices, I suggest you could pull out Hesse and find a bit of wisdom there. |
Young Adult
Francesca Lia Block takes us to Weetzie's happy LA-esque world. She and BFF Dirk travel around life in a fa-la-la way, living off of wishes. In her fairy tale version of life things aren't great but they just work out. Her life is unconventional. Weetzie seems to flow through life without major worries. Wishes don't go as planned but things work out for Weetzie anyway.
David Levithan's world is one where everyone is out and in a school where it is okay to be different. I'd like to believe this school exists and the Darlene's of the world can run for Homecoming Queen without the snicker at the word "queen." It isn't my high-school experience but I love reading his world. |
Will Grayson, Will Grayson. In split narratives between the two Will Grayson's we learn of the problems of being a straight kid with a gay best friend. And the problems of being a lonely gay teen. In both, there seems to question, "What it means to be a man." The straight Will Grayson shows what it means to advocate for your friends. |
Middle Grade
Picture Books
I tried to not cover the same books that Judi Marcin did in her post: LGBTQIA "It Matters." Definitely anyone interested in more middle grade and picture books should look into those books too!
And how could advocates help?
As a person of course, there are a million things we could do: sign petitions, offer friendship, support businesses that have gay-friendly attitudes, consider the issues when voting, to name the very least. But as a writer, what can I do? I must consider that nugget stuck in my head: You are inheriting the literature history and a responsibility. ~Gary Schmidt |
Used under creative commons Mike-Rigby.com | Support other writers. Buy their books, ask if they've gone deep enough. If they haven't, know you must go deeper! Share their books with friends and never tell them you are sharing a "gay book," just a good book. Introduce picture books to your children and their friends. Educate people, even if you are not an educator. |
I can't claim to be an expert on advocating. I can say I try. I try harder. I challenge myself there, I combat the education that my children receive in the media that two boys kissing is funny. I combat the pre-programmed ideas of gender conformity. I don't always like the answers I come up with. I sometimes wish I didn't say "Boys are...," "Girls are...," as if there were only these archetypes. I ask you to try with me.