Is There Something Odd About Me?
Why we need queer-inclusive children's libraries
Adults have an instinctive need to protect children. It is a worthy goal, but when adults begin to sanitise the world children are exposed to, it is analogous to keeping them in a sterile environment. They are deprived of a chance to develop and to understand the world. Sanitising stories of things that are uncomfortable to discuss begs the question: what are we protecting the child from? Is there an appropriate age, for example, at which to let children learn that grown-ups like becoming close friends, dating, falling in love, marrying each other, separating from a partner - not necessarily in that order? Why do we erase realities like abuse and war from children's stories? Whether we like it or not, children see these things all...