RE: Representation Matters: Why kids need LGBT characters
Goodness- it sounds like we shared pretty much the same teen-hood- apart from the key book and breakthrough early relationship! I'm very lucky that I come from a very open and accepting family, and yet even they tried to 'normalise' my behaviour as 'hero-worship' of other girls. I knew that it wasn't that, but didn't really realise that I was bisexual- and that this was an option (!)- until I went to uni and met people from outside of the tiny farming district I was from.
I completely agree that there is huge importance importance in the representation and normalisation of the LGBT community within the media - including books, films and whatever else is available is key to reaching young people (and not so young who still don't know!)
Thank you for sharing such an important post. E x
Thank you so much for this comment! I'm delighted that this post made it to somebody who really gets it. It's so interesting to hear from someone with such a similar experience, and I'm glad you were able to figure it all out in the end. Here's hoping that in the future it'll only get easier for other kids to understand themselves too!
I hope so too - especially for those who live in very small, rural or closed communities. There is so little input from outside that it can be so tough for them to explore themselves, not feel the need to try to conform- not to feel "other". Thanks again for putting such an important post out there. E x