Donna’s Comments (group member since Oct 09, 2017)

Donna’s comments from the Queereaders group.

Lara wrote: "I don't know of any! We talk about it a lot, but this was the first book I had heard of. I'm embarrassed that I haven't looked more extensively for him."
There aren't that many, honestly. In addition to what I've already listed here are some picture books: Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress; I am Jazz; Not Every Princess; and My Princess Boy. These may not have the best writing, but they do provide representation.These feature younger children than your child, however. George features a girl about your child's age, and The Other Boy features a child who is older than yours.

Lara wrote: "I bought Red for my son after reading this, and he LOVED it! We both enjoyed it!"
I'm so glad to hear that!
Have you read any other books with your child that feature gender non-conforming, androgynous, and/or transgender main characters?

Bill wrote: "Very Good, Donna. How do you deal with the right wing compaints about such books?"

There are multiple ways to deal with complaints. I'm not sure whether you're referring to at the university level or at the elementary level.

At the outset of the course/school year explain why it is important for people to have literature that reflects themselves as well as literature that shows the lives of others (see Rudine Sims Bishop re: books as mirrors, windows, and doors). This communicates both expectations and reasoning.

Creating book rationales for books used in classrooms is helpful as well, such as using NCTE's book rationales. This demonstrates professional support for using the text in the classroom, and a teacher can have this in place in case a challenge arises.

One major component is listening. People sometimes just want to be heard, and the complaint goes away after they feel they are heard. The rest of how I would deal with it depends on which level (university or elementary) and what occurs during the conversation. For instance, if someone gripes about Donovan's Big Day being inappropriate, I would ask him/her to please show me what specifically s/he feels is inappropriate. If that person then pointed to the pictures of the moms getting married, I would ask him/her to please explain further why s/he feels that is inappropriate. I might (depending on how the conversation is going), ask them whether s/he feels that any picture book that shows a wedding is inappropriate (e.g. The Keeping Quilt). Sometimes that can change minds/open eyes. Sometimes it doesn't.

Everything truly depends on the grade level, who is making the complaint, previous contact with that person, etc. I would approach it differently if it was a student (elementary or college) than I would if it was a parent/guardian or community member. I would approach it differently with a college student than I would with an elementary student. Context is everything.

I can provide some more specific answers if you want to give more parameters (e.g. person making the complaint).

Thanks, Greg!
My (ambitious) goal is to make a positive difference in the world by providing future teachers with the tools to create safe classrooms where their students feel valued, safe, and able to be present with their whole selves.

Greg wrote: "Donna wrote: "It's difficult to find an exact statistic on both the number of children's books with LGBT+ characters published each year, and the number published overall.
Censorship likely plays ..."
Thanks, Bill! I teach at a university now. I'm a professor teaching prospective elementary teachers. I'm not in a district. However, I teach my students how to create welcoming classrooms for all students, and I teach about the importance of diverse literature, how to prepare for potential book challenges, the messages sent when groups are excluded, etc.

It's difficult to find an exact statistic on both the number of children's books with LGBT+ characters published each year, and the number published overall.
Censorship likely plays a role. All 5 of the top 5 most challenged books reported to the American Library Association last year have LGBT+ characters, and that was one reason they were challenged.

Benjamin wrote: "Thanks, Donna - and noted!"
You're welcome! Usually, fewer than a half of a percent of children's books published each year have LGBT+ characters. Some of the books I listed have same-sex parents. The main characters are LGBT+ in these books: Princess, Princess Ever After (lesbian or bisexual); The Other Boy (transgender); George (transgender); and Red, a Crayon's Story (transgender). Better Nate than Ever is a children's book that has a gay or bisexual boy as the main character, but I can't think of another book off the top of my head that has a gay or bisexual boy as the main character.

Hi, Benjamin,

I listed my favorite children's books. I did not list only LGBT+ books. There are very few LGBT+ children's books published each year. Here are the ones I like best: Donovan's Big Day; Princess, Princess Ever After; Stella Brings the Family; The Other Boy; George; Red, A Crayon's Story; Daddy, Papa, and Me; and Mommy, Mama, and Me.

Thank you, Greg and Bill!

I like to read a variety of literature. I like reading books with LGBT main characters, especially lesbian because those books reflect my identity. Typically, young adult literature and adult literature feature more gay men or bisexual men as main characters than they do lesbian women or bisexual woman. Trans* people are featured rarely in books overall, as are those who are intersex and/or asexual. The books listed in the poll for the group read illustrate this.

I also like reading books about people who differ from myself. I like history books that feature minority perspectives. I like reading ghost stories. I also like "fluff" literature at times (mindless reading), mysteries, archaeology, educational texts, and--due to my profession--children's and young adult literature.

My favorite children's authors are: Christopher Paul Curtis, Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver, Duncan Tonatiuh, Yuyi Morales, Jaqueline Woodson, Leslea Newman, Tim Tingle, Grace Lin, and Melissa Sweet. (This list would be longer if I included young adult literature.) My favorite children's books are: Los Gatos Black on Halloween; How I Became a Ghost; Donovan's Big Day; The Watsons go to Birmingham, 1963; Frindle; the Hank Zipzer series; Where the Mountain Meets the Moon; Separate is Never Equal; and Mommy, Mama, and Me.

I look forward to getting to know people in this group, and to reading more LGBT+ literature.

Hi, everyone!
I am recently getting active on goodreads, though I had an account for a while. I'm a lesbian professor whose research interests revolve around diversity in children's literature and LGBT+ education issues. I used to teach elementary school, and now I teach prospective teachers.