Chapter Summaries 2 (pp. 53-81)
Raychel Trevino - LSSL 5393 - Dr. Lesesne
It's 2016, Do You KNOW who your author is?
The first time I read the title of the chapter, I read it without the "and." My first thoughts were, "Oh, thank goodness, we need more books for younger children letting them know it's okay to be who they are." Then I read it with the "and." My thoughts changed to thinking, "Great! What better perspective to have than an author who has experienced these very same emotions that today's youth are feeling - and often struggling with."
I was disappointed to read on how these wonderful authors, who have such a wonderful perspective on this lifestyle, live their lives so privately, that sometimes a lifetime goes by without the public finding out. Or worse, without the public wanting to find out - so they never ask, as was the case with Maurice Sendak, author of Where the Wild Things Are.
Perhaps it's my own personal struggle I have with watching children ostracized for being "different," that makes feel almost desperate for these authors to really "come out" to children and tell them in a voice full of confidence and pride, "Look at me. I made it. Everything's going to be okay, and you're going to make it, too."
Believe it or not, when watching the news, and finding out that another child has taken their own life due to the abuse they suffered because they were, take your pick: GLBT, I feel powerless because I'm straight. How could have my words been of comfort? How could I tell them with conviction that everything would be okay?
It's 2016. We need to remember that old phrase, "The pen is mightier that the sword." We need to know who are authors are, because they can create a formidable army against prejudice and intolerance, while creating a place of safety and refuge for ALL of our children. Let's face it - ALL our children are a little different in some way, and who knows "different" better than our awesome GLBT authors!
Let's Start at the Beginning
Truth or Dare
In the beginning, there was little talk of those authors who were GLBT, so much of it was a mishmash of gossip and embellishments. Pretty much what is known has gone through the "Pass the Secret" grapevine, and has come out grotesquely transformed and nowhere near the truth. And that was in Europe, where at least people talked about it.
On the other side of the Atlantic, the U.S. considered homosexuality a clinical psychological problem until 1973! So we can't blame our poor authors for keeping quiet, at that rate, we might not have had all of our beloved classics published if they had dared gone public!
Ursula Nordstrom
Margaret Wise Brown
Louise Fitzhugh
Another famous children's book writer in the New York lesbian community of the 50's and 60's. She was often found wearing men's clothing she would have tailored to fit her, and therefore it was no surprise the main character of her most famous work Harriet the Spy dressed similarly.
In a very important and significant couple of lines in the story, she sends out a help line to all GLBT children who read it then, and reads it today. Furthermore, it is an important message to all of us to live by:
'Sometimes you have to lie. But to yourself you must always tell the truth.'
~Harriet the Spy
Tove Jansson
In Europe in the 1940s, Tova Jansson was a artist who became famous for her creation: Moomintroll. Her art became children's books, then a comic strip. Her Moomintroll books have been translated into 34 languages worldwide.
Besides her creations, what makes Tova unique when discussing her lifestyle is that while she didn't proclaim, "I'm a lesbian!" from the mountaintops, she didn't hide from it either. And she lived it harmoniously amidst her family, and her lifetime companion Tuulikki Pietila. Finally, a happy ending!
Those We Lost to the AIDS Epidemic
Arnold Lobel
Waiting for his story...
Arnold Lobel was diagnosed with AIDS in 1986, and died a year later. His friend, James Marshall, said in his eulogy that with his passing books would now be written of Arnold instead of by him. However, up to date, there is only one.
Anyone who could write such simple yet profound books on friendship, deserves to be remembered. He spoke of relationships that didn't really have boundaries, you could relate them to your best friend, your boyfriend, and your family relationships. Even the relationship you have to yourself.
James Marshall
Another wonderful artist and author lost to AIDS was James Marshall. His George and Martha characters also spoke of friendship. He also was the illustrator for books written by other authors, such as Harry Allard and Jeffrey Allen.
He won the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award for lifetime in 2007, fifteen years after his death.
Showing Good Character with Book Characters
Books have gone through many movement, the feminist movement, the GLBT movement, and probably the longest standing is uptight conservative movement. But we need to consider who these books are written for: children. Just like the current movement where children are presented participation trophies just for showing up because "we don't want to make them feel bad," we need to have the same consideration for their feelings if they happen to show up with two moms or two dads, or a Black dad and Asian mom - or a mom and dad, but the boy in tow happens to want to be a ballerina...AND wear the tutu.
Life is hard and messy - or different, and nothing feels more like comfort food than a book with characters that share your troubles - or likenesses. Let's put more of those on the menu.
Bibliography
Bird, B., Danielson, J., & Sieruta, P. D. (n.d.). Wild things!: Acts of mischief in children's literature.