June is LGBT+ Pride Month
“Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Month (LGBT Pride Month) is currently celebrated each year in the month of June to honor the 1969 Stonewall riots in Manhattan. The Stonewall riots were a tipping point for the Gay Liberation Movement in the United States… Today, celebrations include pride parades, picnics, parties, workshops, symposia and concerts, and LGBT Pride Month events attract millions of participants around the world. Memorials are held during this month for those members of the community who have been lost to hate crimes or HIV/AIDS. The purpose of the commemorative month is to recognize the impact that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals have had on history locally, nationally, and internationally.”
Library of Congress – About LGBT Pride Month
Happy Pride Month, everyone! Libraries have always been safe spaces for marginalized and disenfranchised groups, and this includes any and all members of the LGBT+ community. FDL proudly supports information access for all and the right for all to exist comfortably and safely. We also have some pretty great material focusing on LGBT+ history or created by LGBT+ individuals. This list is by no means comprehensive, so if there’s something you would like but don’t see here, ask and we’ll do our best to get it for you.
- For a history of the Stonewall Riots and the beginning of the fight for equal rights, check out this amazing history of the event with Stonewall: Breaking Out in the Fight for Gay Rights by Ann Bausum.
- For a more personal look at individuals, take a look at The Letter Q: Queer Writers’ Notes to Their Younger Selves, featuring Gregory Maguire (Wicked), Jacqueline Woodson (Brown Girl Dreaming), Armistead Maupin (Tales of the City), and many more.
- For a look at the niche ball/drag scene of the late 80s and early 90s, Paris is Burning is an amazing film. Joseph Cassara has also come out with a fictional account of the time documented in Paris is Burning with his novel, The House of Impossible Beauties.
- Angels in America by Tony Kushner is a must read for a fictional account (both individually and globally) of the AIDS crisis of the 80s and 90s. Or, you can watch the two part HBO adaptation, starring Meryl Streep, Al Pacino, Emma Thompson, and Jeffrey Wright.
- YA fiction is absolutely crushing it with queer voices right now. Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli was just made into the movie Love, Simon (still in theaters). Other great YA books featuring LGBT+ characters include Beautiful Music for Ugly Children by Kirstin Cronn-Mills, Dreadnought by April Daniels, Lizard Radio by Pat Schmatz, and Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith.
Post by Carey Gibbons, Reference Specialist
About #FDL
Welcome to #FDL! #FDL is a twice weekly update on all things Fondulac District Library and East Peoria. Twice a week, library staff will make posts that highlight some aspect of library life and relate it to you – our readers. Have you ever wanted to know which Dewey number represented a certain topic? Are you looking for book recommendations based on your favorite television show or television recommendations based on your favorite book? Have you ever wondered about the secret details of librarian life? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then #FDL is for you. We look forward to writing posts that are informative and entertaining and hope that you enjoy getting better acquainted with Fondulac District Library.