With the increase in challenges and bans to diverse comics, books, programming, and displays it is becoming important to go beyond just choosing titles that reflect the community to now ensuring those choices are protected. CBLDF offers a huge selection of free resources to fight identity censorship. Whether you need a guide to adding a specific title to your collection or more general advice on tools and strategies to fight back against censorship – there are plenty of options available. If you or a colleague is facing a challenge and you don’t see the resources you need below, reach out to CBLDF directly.
Webinars
Take PRIDE in Comics: The Challenges Facing LGBTQ+ Content
In celebration of PRIDE month, we asked a panel of creators, educators, librarians, and retailers to discuss the challenges facing LGBTQ+ comics. During this informative session, cartoonist Paige Braddock, the Eisner-nominated creator of Jane’s World; historian, educator, and creator Justin Hall, the editor of award-winning anthology No Straight Lines: Four Decades of Queer Comics; librarian and activist Valerie Acklin, a member of the American Library Association’s Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Round Table (GLBTRT); and retailer Katie Proctor, the owner of Portland, Oregon’s inclusive comic book store, Books With Pictures, discuss the history of censorship of LGBTQ+ comics, why LGBTQ+ comics are an important part of any library or classroom collection, and what we can do to defend LGBTQ+ content from censors. Watch it anytime at http:// cbldf.org/webinars
Addressing Identity Censorship
Identity censorship is the most frequent form of intellectual freedom challenge in today’s environment. From moral panic about Drag Queen Story Hour to frequent challenges to LGBTQ+ comics, books, and authors, this disturbing trend is gaining traction. CBLDF engages a panel of experts to help you identify and intelligently address this growing problem. In the past year, CBLDF has participated in defending challenges and bans of books solely because they contain LGBTQ+ characters, curriculum rejected because it focused on LGBTQ+ titles, and community programs canceled solely because program participants identify as LGBTQ+. In this webinar, we will speak with individuals who’ve been on the front lines of this issue to identify the contours of the problem and discuss strategies for managing it. In addition to receiving CBLDF’s “Fighting Identity Censorship Toolkit,” all webinar participants are invited to share their own stories and receive face-to-face expert advice on managing identity censorship issues. Watch it anytime at http:// cbldf.org/webinars
Panelists:
Lilah Sturges is a New York Times Bestselling writer whose works include the Prism Award-winning Lumberjanes: The Infernal Compass, The Magicians: Alice’s Story, and numerous titles for DC Comics and other publishers. She lives in Austin, Texas with two teenage daughters and two cats.
John Spears, Chief Librarian, and CEO of Pikes Peak Library District in Colorado Springs, CO.
Adding Graphic Novels to Your Library or Classroom Collection
These resources put together the tools you need to add titles with confidence or defend titles in the case of a challenge. If there is a title you don’t see that you need, email us and let us know. Check out these popular guides, or the full selection at Adding Graphic Novels to Your Library or Classroom Collection
Drama by Raina Telgemeier
Lumberjanes created by Shannon Watters, Grace Ellis, Brooklyn A. Allen, & Noelle Stevenson
My Brother’s Husband by Gengoroh Tagame.
Fun Home by Alison Bechdel
Download a PDF of the Fun Home discussion guide here. Check out other CBLDF Discussion Guides to open up a dialogue about comics!
Other Resources
Comic Book Club Handbook
Empathy and understanding are often learned through reading. Empower the next generations now with a graphic novel book club that explores issues like identity, race, class, and more.
2019 Comics in Education Survey
Share the power of comics with other educators and administrators. Graphic novels are banned at a statistically higher rate than prose novels, often because of outdated modes of thinking that say comics aren’t real reading. Just because you know that isn’t true, doesn’t mean everyone does. Spread the word, comics are great in classrooms!
Using Graphic Novels in Education
Find title specific curriculum in CBLDF’s Using Graphic Novels in Education section. Add titles that teach important lessons you wan5 to bring into the classroom, or recommend these to other teachers nervous about teaching comics.
Like what you see here? Join CBLDF today to help us keep creating free resources for educators and librarians. Check out http://CBLDF.org/membership for details.