To celebrate Pride month, CBLDF is highlighting creators that are using free expression to tell LGBTQ+ stories with our new Talkin’ Queer Comics series! Check out our first entry in the series, an interview with Gaby Dunn, bestselling author, journalist, television writer, actress, and creator of the original graphic novel Bury the Lede.
CBLDF is using the Talkin’ Queer Comics video series to spotlight queer creators who are using comics to tell stories that matter. Gaby Dunn, best-selling author and LGBTQ+ activist, discusses the importance of queer storytelling, her introduction to the comics medium, Bury the Lede, and more in our first installment! Support this series, and our work defending queer voices by becoming a CBLDF member today!
While we celebrate Pride, it’s important to note that LGBTQ+ content is the frequent target of identity censorship. Identity censorship, a form of censorship that targets books and speakers based on the identity of the author or characters in a book, remains a major threat. In 2019, 8 of the 10 most banned books were targeted for LGBTQ+ content. States across the country are proposing legislation that targets LGBTQ+ creators; author events are being canceled, books are being challenged, and community programs like Drag Queen Story Hour are being attacked. When a challenge arises, CBLDF fights back.
CBLDF provides:
- Legal aid
- Opposition to censorship laws
- Expert support for book challenges
- Counseling to assist librarians and educators fighting challenges
- Training resources to prevent censorship
- Education tools to increase understanding and support for diverse comics
We can’t continue the fight against identity censorship alone! Become a CBLDF member today and help defend queer voices!
You can also support our work though our Pride bookstore. Donate to CBLDF and receive signed copies of LGBTQ+ comics from top creators! Then pick up a set of CBLDF Don’t Ban Me! pronoun buttons. Wear your pronoun and “Don’t Ban Me” buttons with pride, and tell the world that you won’t let people’s identities be silenced!
Join CBLDF and share our resources with your community to help fight identity censorship. Use the hashtag #DontBanMe and spread the word that every voice should be heard no matter how the speaker identifies. Voice your support by checking out the CBLDF Don’t Ban Me collection on Teespring. Grab a t-shirt or a sticker and show that you’re willing to take a stand against identity censorship.