Why Serve GLBTQ Teens in Your Library?
Public Libraries and School Media Centers are in the position to make an indelible positive impact upon the lives and well-being of GLBTQ teens.
According to the key findings of the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network's (GLSEN's) 2011 National School Climate Survey:
"81.9% of LGBT students reported being verbally harassed, 38.3% reported being physically harassed and 18.3% reported being physically assaulted at school in the past year because of their sexual orientation."
"63.9% of LGBT students reported being verbally harassed, 27.1% reported being physically harassed and 12.4% reported being physically assaulted at school in the past year because of their gender expression."
"84.9% of LGBT students heard "gay" used in a negative way (e.g., "that's so gay") and 71.3% heard homophobic remarks (e.g., "dyke" or "faggot") frequently or often at school."
"Nearly one third of LGBT students (29.8%) reported skipping a class at least once and 31.8% missed at least one entire day of school in the past month because of safety concerns."
According to the key findings of the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network's (GLSEN's) 2011 National School Climate Survey:
"81.9% of LGBT students reported being verbally harassed, 38.3% reported being physically harassed and 18.3% reported being physically assaulted at school in the past year because of their sexual orientation."
"63.9% of LGBT students reported being verbally harassed, 27.1% reported being physically harassed and 12.4% reported being physically assaulted at school in the past year because of their gender expression."
"84.9% of LGBT students heard "gay" used in a negative way (e.g., "that's so gay") and 71.3% heard homophobic remarks (e.g., "dyke" or "faggot") frequently or often at school."
"Nearly one third of LGBT students (29.8%) reported skipping a class at least once and 31.8% missed at least one entire day of school in the past month because of safety concerns."
With consideration to these harrowing statistics, it is evident that the stakes are invariably high for this at-risk population of teens.
What is more is that libraries and librarians serving GLBTQ teens often face a further obstacle in regard to the invisibility of this group. It is apparent that many GLBTQ youth may actively hide their information needs in fear of community backlash and perceived potential retaliation. For this reason, librarians must deliberately make the effort to collect and openly promote resources for GLBTQ teens.
Subsequently, many other segments of the library population stand to gain from library services targeted to GLBTQ teen library users. To clarify, non-GLBTQ youth will benefit from the opportunity to learn about this community and to see things from their perspective. In actuality, parents, teachers, administrators, counselors, clergy, or any community member that has a stake in the well-being of young people stand to benefit from the library providing services to GLBTQ youth.
In terms of young adult fiction pertaining to GLBTQ topics, while the availability of quality titles has exploded at an exponential rate in the recent years, this alone does not comprise a reason to collect these materials. In essence, we librarians must collect for GLBTQ teens because there is no denying that this is who are users ARE!!
Consider the following quote by Jennifer Chance Cook in her article "GLBTQ Teen Literature: Is It Out There in Indiana?"
“…there is abundant data providing that a significant portion of the population is comprised of GLBTQ people, that this population resides in all areas of the United States, and is represented in ‘all demographic groups including age, religion, national origin, ethnicity, race, ability, and so forth’” (44).
Librarians and educators can truly make a difference in the lives of these vulnerable adolescents and need to step up and do so - Consider this website your call to action!!!
Sources:
Cook, Jennifer Chance. "GLBTQ Teen Literature: Is It Out There In Indiana?." Indiana Libraries 23.2 (2004): 25-28.
Web. 1 Nov. 2012.
GLSEN 2011 National School Climate Survey, http://www.glsen.org/cgi-bin/iowa/all/library/record/2897.html?state=research,
Web. 31 Oct. 2012.
Subsequently, many other segments of the library population stand to gain from library services targeted to GLBTQ teen library users. To clarify, non-GLBTQ youth will benefit from the opportunity to learn about this community and to see things from their perspective. In actuality, parents, teachers, administrators, counselors, clergy, or any community member that has a stake in the well-being of young people stand to benefit from the library providing services to GLBTQ youth.
In terms of young adult fiction pertaining to GLBTQ topics, while the availability of quality titles has exploded at an exponential rate in the recent years, this alone does not comprise a reason to collect these materials. In essence, we librarians must collect for GLBTQ teens because there is no denying that this is who are users ARE!!
Consider the following quote by Jennifer Chance Cook in her article "GLBTQ Teen Literature: Is It Out There in Indiana?"
“…there is abundant data providing that a significant portion of the population is comprised of GLBTQ people, that this population resides in all areas of the United States, and is represented in ‘all demographic groups including age, religion, national origin, ethnicity, race, ability, and so forth’” (44).
Librarians and educators can truly make a difference in the lives of these vulnerable adolescents and need to step up and do so - Consider this website your call to action!!!
Sources:
Cook, Jennifer Chance. "GLBTQ Teen Literature: Is It Out There In Indiana?." Indiana Libraries 23.2 (2004): 25-28.
Web. 1 Nov. 2012.
GLSEN 2011 National School Climate Survey, http://www.glsen.org/cgi-bin/iowa/all/library/record/2897.html?state=research,
Web. 31 Oct. 2012.