Representation Matters! I read a post this morning about a non-affirming book for recommended reading... It’s disheartening that there are books like that still being published and sold. There are so many books with positive LGBTQ2S+ representation for youth and adults!! If you have any favourites, please add them in the comments! Here are a few.
8 Transgender YA Books Written By Trans And Nonbinary Authors https://bookriot.com/own-voices-transgender-ya-books/?fbclid=IwAR1QULdFo8xlSy4F30b8PZKnpnzFSOol1O8LrmkzRAbTAnVxi5Q1ZwvoZKs I still remember the first YA book about a transgender person I ever read as a teenager. It helped me understand my gender identity as something that could be separate from my binary sex. I’ll always be grateful for that, as well as for the many wonderful YA books about transgender experiences being published now. These 8 YA books with transgender protagonists are all written by trans and nonbinary authors. With a mix of contemporary and speculative fiction, you’re sure to find a book you’ll fall in love with.
Queer Books for Teens http://queerbooksforteens.com/find-books/ Welcome to Queer Books for Teens! This website seeks to be a comprehensive list of all LGBTQIAP+ YA titles published between 2000 and 2017. It includes all major and indie US presses and selective self-published material.
I HAVE A CRUSH https://www.thetrevorproject.org/trvr_support_center/i-have-a-crush/#sm.00001kwp6i3cygfa3y911famykriy It’s Perfectly OK to like people who have the same or different gender than you. For LGBTQ youth who are in the closet – that means not being “out” about the kind of people they are attracted to – finding someone to talk to about their crushes can be tricky. Read through the FAQ section to learn about some common situations, and ways to handle them.
The Answers (for Now) https://www.scarleteen.com/article/sexual_identity_sexuality/the_answers_for_now?fbclid=IwAR3bmF9StLZKDHLoU-Yg5z39E4zybCZisb1yn1b47c-ge7brWyaZGrSaN9I It absolutely great to be questioning!! “There's no deadline you have to meet for figuring things out, no rule that says you ever have to know your orientation for sure at all, no one "right" way to be any particular orientation, and no specific path you have to follow to get there. It's not something anyone else can decide or decipher for you, but it's just fine to talk to other people about how you're feeling and to take your time figuring out who (if anyone!) you feel those big feelings for.”
Gender Confusion: Being Unsure Doesn't Have to Be a Bummerhttps://www.scarleteen.com/article/gender_sexual_identity/gender_confusion_being_unsure_doesnt_have_to_be_a_bummer?fbclid=IwAR0sFF99sgUNLKFm7IKKHXfGOBszhJYLDrWxPN-dlM5UmMdifgQ5cC9dNSM “When you're feeling uncertain about facets of your identity, it may help to spend some time trying out different identities, names, or pronouns for yourself to see how they feel. This might be something you do with certain friends or social groups, or just by yourself; maybe you want to do your exploration in online spaces only, or it might feel more real and practical to do your exploration in physical space. If you're noticing a pull to a certain identity or identities but aren't quite sure how you feel, the best way to know how it fits is to give yourself the space to explore it and/or try it out for a bit. After all, you can admire an outfit in a store display all day, but it's not until you put it on that you can understand if it translates to looking and feeling good on you specifically. There's no shame in experimentation, exploration, gender research, or whatever you want to call it. Keep in mind, too, that just like clothes, no identity is going to be one-size-fits all; descriptive identity words can be helpful and affirming but every person who identifies with a given word will interpret it a little differently, like having their clothes custom-tailored or swapping out a hat for a bowtie. What's important is that you find something that you like and feel good in, and if that means you have to try on everything in a store and cobble your own outfit together from a handful of different pieces, then that's what works for you.” “If you try something out that fits for a while but you later realize isn't quite right for you, that's ok too. “
Sex Ed School https://sexedschool.ca/?fbclid=IwAR3VLcMgv6OX9LOuO6gnCP1d_SYQPeO5HQptPSMQkvokPsX0uBSRr_4AVsA Let’s talk about sex education! Sex-Ed School is a fun new web series for kids to get real info from experts and discover all the answers they want to know now. A series that explores the birds and the bees with ease in today’s digital landscape. Sex-Ed School is a safe place where kids can talk openly & honestly about sexuality, the body & healthy relationships!
Welcome to Trans Summer School! https://www.scarleteen.com/article/gender/welcome_to_trans_summer_school?fbclid=IwAR3zUxzOgSpbkeXeIvuZsWLSQo6r_7f0yqVymz6gF5668i-iK1O5k4wCjj8 We’re here to talk about all things trans, all summer long. We’ll be consulting with experts from sexeducators to surgeons to trans people themselves (since they have the most experience with the subject!) to give you the skinny on gender — and hopefully, to help you figure out where you fit in and feel best. Over the course of this series, we’ll be exploring what it means to be transgender, what to do if you think you might be trans or otherwise gender nonconforming, what to expect from transition if you decide to pursue medical and/or surgical transition now or in the future, how to have fun and safe sex while trans, and much, much more.