Market Report - LGBTQ+ Children's Literature by Georgia Pine
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In Life Lessons through Storytelling: Children’s Exploration of Ethics, Donna Eder and Gregory Cajete write that children’s ‘storytelling empowers youth: as they see how the[…] characters play important roles in the stories, they develop an understanding of complex ethical issues and develop a respect for others’.[1] Examples of this on the market include David Mackee’s Elmer which teaches children to embrace individuality[2]; Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax which teaches children to look after the planet[3]; and Anne Fine’s Bill’s New Frock which teaches gender equality.[4] More recently, Ibram X. Kendi’s Antiracist Baby aimed to address issues surrounding racial inequality in a manner simple enough for children to understand.[5]
LGBTQ+ children’s books follow this format; the picture book Justin Richardson’s And Tango Makes Three is about two male penguins adopting a baby penguin as they can’t have their own;[6] Scott Stuart’s My Shadow is Pink addresses gender identity;[7] Jodie Lancet-Grant’s The Pirate Mums considers a child’s understanding of having same-sex parents. [8] LGBTQ+ children’s books aim to teach understanding and respect toward various queer experiences, but recent government advice has sparked debates about whether primary school children should learn about LGBTQ+ relationships. Many books within this genre have faced censorship in schools and libraries as they have been considered inappropriate, confusing, or too mature for children.
In the UK, Section 28 of the Local Government Act 1988 made it ‘illegal for a local authority to “intentionally promote homosexuality” or “to promote the teaching… of the acceptability of homosexuality as a pretend family relationship”’.[9] Section 28 was repealed in 2003, but LGBTQ+ education in primary schools remains limited and LGBTQ+ children’s books are a relatively new genre.[10] In 2017 a report found that 40% of LGBT children are never taught about LGBT issues, 76% have never learnt about bisexuality, 77% have never learnt about gender identity, and only 25% of children had discussed LGBT issues in wider subjects, such as English.[10]
Objections to educating primary school children on LGBTQ+ relationships often stem from conflicts with religion or concerns about the age appropriateness of curriculum content for young children. For example, in West Virginia, a library removed The Prince and the Knight, after a local church minister voiced concerns, calling the book ‘a deliberate attempt to indoctrinate young children, especially boys, into the LGBTQA lifestyle’.[11] The author, Daniel Haak, responded saying they should consider ‘all the gay adults who grew up only reading about straight romances’.[12] The National Coalition Against Censorship, the American Library Association Office of Intellectual Freedom, and West Virginia Library Association asked that the book be returned to shelves[12] for its informational value, a need for inclusivity not discrimination, and to provide opportunities for LGBTQ+ children to see themselves represented.[12]
Similarly, Andover Library in Kansas re-shelved children’s books containing transgender characters.[12] The co-written picture book, I am Jazz by Jazz Jennings and Jessica Herthel was moved to non-fiction.[13]It was debated whether Alex Gino’s George, aimed at 8–12-year-olds according to Amazon[13], should be moved to YA or adult shelves.[13]Donna Gephart’s Lily and Dunkin (aimed at 10– 14-year-olds[14]) was another book thought to be more appropriately shelved in YA or adult, as it also addresses bipolar disorder.[13]
Despite these concerns, a Stonewall poll of over 1,000 people found that ‘60% of the British public support primary schools teaching about LGBT families.[15] Awareness of LGBTQ+ issues and societal acceptance is, arguably, increasing. More adults are identifying as LGBTQ+ perhaps suggesting that people are becoming more comfortable with seeing and expressing diverse sexuality.[16] In the UK the Office for National Statistics found that around 1.1 million people in Britain identify as lesbian, gay or bisexual.[17] Furthermore, since the statistics were first collected in 2012, evidence shows that the number of people identifying as straight appears to be declining.[18] People aged between ‘16 and 24 were most likely to identify as LGB’, with 4.2% doing so.[18]This may imply that younger generations have a better understanding and are more accepting of LGBTQ+ relationships.
As of September 2020, UK government guidance stated that ‘all primary schools will teach about different families, with schools being “enabled and encouraged” by the Government to include LGBT families in this teaching’.[20]It therefore seems necessary for children’s literature to include LGBTQ+ relationships and characters to assist with this education. However, some parents still object to this content being included in the curriculum and have campaigned ‘nationally against the subjects and [organised] locally to encourage parents to influence their schools’ teaching’.[19]
For example, religious conflicts sparked protests at a school in Birmingham[20]. Other objections stem from age-appropriateness of relationship education, as discussed on ITV’s This Morning.[21] The UK government has stated that parents should be consulted by schools on what educational material, such as books, should be included in relationships education, but that ‘Disruptive behaviour and intimidation are[…] clearly unacceptable and local authorities, alongside the Department for Education, will want to support schools facing such a situation’.[22]
Statistics imply that children are growing up with an awareness of LGBTQ+ relationships, arguably making it necessary to provide education in this area. In 2019 there were 212,000 same-sex families in the UK.[23] In March 2015 an average of nine children per week were adopted by LGBTQ+ parents, representing 14% of all UK adoptions.[25]In 2017, in the US, a total of 4.5% of adults identified as LGBTQ+ and 29% of them had children.[24] Parents, such as ‘Laura-Rose Thorogood and her wife Stacey[…] [who] run the LGBT Mummies Tribe community, for lesbian and bi parents[…] [have said that] LGBT education has to be mandatory to make an equal society’.[25] Research has shown that ‘there are measurable benefits to including LGBTQ themed texts in curricula, namely the opportunity to reduce adolescents’ homophobia’ and have stated ‘that it would [therefore] be irresponsible for any schools serious about reducing bullying to censor LGBTQ themed texts from curricula’.[26]
The rising number of openly LGBTQ+ people, homosexual families, and awareness of the importance of education implies that the market for LGBTQ+ children’s books may increase. Amazon now has a specific section named ‘Fiction About LGBTQ+ Issues for Children’, suggesting a current demand for books covering these topics.[27]
The Rainbow Book List — ‘an annual annotated bibliography consisting of quality LGBTQIA+ literature intended for readers from birth to age 18’ — said that, in 2020, they’d noticed changes in YA and children’s books. [28] Alongside the common theme of anxiety as a result of queer identity, The Rainbow Book List noted prominent
‘micro trends’ including ‘an increase in books with non-binary, asexual-spectrum, and bisexual characters’.[29] This widening of topics suggests continuing development and therefore opportunity within the LGTBQ+ children’s book genre.
Sources:
[1] Donna Eder and Gregory Cajete, Life Lessons through Storytelling: Children's Exploration of Ethics, (Indiana: Indiana University Press, 2010), p. ix.
[2] David McKee, Elmer, (London: Andersen, 2007).
[3] Dr Suess, The Lorax, (London: Harper Collins, 2004).
[4] Anne Fine, Bill’s New Frock, (London: Egmont, 2017).
[5] Ibram X. Kendi, Antiracist Baby, (London: Kokila, 2020).
[6] Justin Richardson, And Tango Makes Three, (New York: Little Simon, 2015).
[7] Scott Stuart, My Shadow is Pink, (London: Larrikin House, 2020).
[8] Jodie Lancet-Grant, The Pirate Mums, (Oxford: OUP Oxford, 2021).
[9] Bruce Ryder, ‘Straight Talk: Male Heterosexual Privilege’, Queen's Law Journal 16 (1991), 287-312 (p.304). 10 Stonewall, ‘18 November 2003: Section 28 bites the dust’ available from: https://www.stonewall.org.uk/ourwork/campaigns/18-november-2003-section-28-bites-dust [accessed 9 March 2021].
[10] Stonewall, Creating an LGBT-Inclusive Primary Curriculum (London: Stonewall, 2019), pp.6-7 https://www.stonewall.org.uk/system/files/creating_an_lgbt-inclusive_primary_curriculum_2019.pdf [accessed 8 March 2021].
[11] Alison Flood, ‘Author hits back after library removes LGBT book from shelves’, The Guardian [online] available from: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/nov/20/author-west-virginia-library-removes-lgbt-bookshelves-daniel-haack-prince-and-knight [accessed 2 March 2021].
[12] Jason Tidd, ‘Andover’s library has LGBT children’s books. Some want them out of the kids section’, The Wichita Eagle [online] available from: https://www.kansas.com/news/local/education/article224252010.html [accessed 2 March 2021].
[13] Amazon, ‘George’ available from: https://www.amazon.co.uk/George-Scholastic-Gold-Alex-Gino/dp/0545812577/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=George&qid=1614602611&s=books&sr=1-3 [accessed 2 March 2021].
[14] Amazon, ‘Lily and Dunkin’ available from: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lily-Dunkin-Donna-Gephart/dp/055353677X/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Lily+and+Dunkin&qid=1614602589&sr=8-1 [accessed 2 March 2021].
[15] Jasmin Anderson, ‘Why These Parents Believe Same-sex Relationships Education in Schools is Important’, inews [online] available from: https://inews.co.uk/news/education/same-sex-relationship-education-schoolsstonewall-poll-333651 [accessed 3 March 2021].
[16] Frank Newport, ‘In U.S., Estimate of LGBT Population Rises to 4.5%’, Gallup available from: https://news.gallup.com/poll/234863/estimate-lgbt-population-rises.aspx [accessed 2 March 2021].
[17] Gov.uk, ‘Sexual Orientation, UK: 2017’, Office of National Statistics available from https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/culturalidentity/sexuality/bulletins/sexualidentityuk/2017 [accessed 8 March 2021].
[18] Josh Jackman, ‘LGBT Statistics: The proportion of straight people in Britain has fallen’, Pink News available from https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2019/01/21/lgbt-statistics-straight-britain/ [accessed 8 March 2019].
20 Mo Wiltshire, ‘We finally have an LGBT-inclusive curriculum – now teachers must be supported to implement it’, inews [online] available from https://inews.co.uk/opinion/lgbt-school-curriculum-sex-educationheadteachers-supported-614606 [accessed 2 March 2021].
[19] Gov.uk, Department of Education, ‘Primary school disruption over LGBT teaching/relationships education’ available from: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/managing-issues-with-lgbt-teaching-advice-for-localauthorities/primary-school-disruption-over-lgbt-teachingrelationships-education [accessed 2 March 2021].
[20] BBC News, ‘LGBT teaching row: Birmingham primary school protests permanently banned’, BBC News [online] available from: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-50557227 [accessed 2 March 2021].
[21] This Morning, Should LGBT Relationships Be Taught in Primary School?, 2019 available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rupJjIcxjc [accessed 28 Feb 2021].
[22] Department of Education, ‘Primary school disruption over LGBT teaching/relationships education’ available from: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/managing-issues-with-lgbt-teaching-advice-for-local- [accessed 2 March 2021].
[23] FFLAG, ‘LGBT Parenting’, FFLAG available from: https://www.fflag.org.uk/portfolio-item/lgbtplusparenting/ [accessed 1 March 2021].
[24] UCLA, ‘LGBT Data and Demographics’, UCLA School of Law Williams Institute available from: https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/visualization/lgbt-stats/?topic=LGBT#density [accessed 8 March 2021].
[25] Jasmin Anderson, ‘Why These Parents Believe Same-sex Relationships Education in Schools is Important’, inews [online] available from: https://inews.co.uk/news/education/same-sex-relationship-education-schoolsstonewall-poll-333651 [accessed 3 March 2021].
[26] Victor Malo-Juvera, ‘The Effect of an LGBTQ Themed Literary Instructional Unit on Adolescents’ Homophobia’, Study and Scrutiny: Research on Young Adult Literature, 2 (2016), 1-34 (p.22).
[27] Amazon, ‘Amazon Best Sellers’ available from: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Best-Sellers-Books-Fiction-AboutLGBTQ-Issues-Children/zgbs/books/15512226031 [accessed 8 March 2021].
[28] Rainbow Project, ‘The 2021 Rainbow Book List’, Rainbow Book List [online] available from: https://glbtrt.ala.org/rainbowbooks/archives/1341 [accessed 6 March 2021].
[29] Rainbow Project, ‘The 2021 Rainbow Book List’, Rainbow Book List [online] available from: https://glbtrt.ala.org/rainbowbooks/archives/1341 [accessed 6 March 2021].
Words by Georgia Pine
Image from Unsplash
Edited by Emily Gough