I’m back at my school library desk! We are all excitedly preparing for the arrival of students and for me, the school year always begins with the winning formula of “hope + goodwill = joyful learning.” Each new year, I take time to reflect on our library’s collection and resources to make sure they accurately reflect the hopes and dreams of our diverse community. I recognize that such an honest reflection can be challenging for many LGBT families around the country to find. If that is the case for you, walk into your school this Fall with these valuable resources:
Tools for Inclusive & Welcoming Schools:
Family Equality Council provides a Back to School Tool with quick, easy suggestions to LGBT parents to help ensure a safe, supportive learning environment at their children’s schools. This 2 page PDF should be your pocket guide for back-to-school season.
Family Equality Council’s Opening Doors booklet empowers all LGBT families to help their school community take action to become fully inclusive and safe for LGBT families.
The HRC Foundation’s Welcoming Schools provides lesson plans and book lists that are essential for “embracing family diversity, avoiding gender stereotyping and ending bullying and name-calling.”
Best Books: If a school library could have nothing but these titles, I believe every LGBT family would feel safer and more welcome:
It’s Okay to Be Different & The Family Book by Todd Parr
Nobody promotes or explains diversity in a more child-friendly way than Todd Parr. I will always love these books.
A Tale of Two Daddies & A Tale of Two Mommies by Vanita Oelschlager
These charming and heartfelt books beautifully normalize a child’s experience in two-dad and two-mom families.
Families by Susan Kuklin
Many different family configurations are honored in this book, including LGBT families. Great photos and wonderful first-person accounts.
Love Makes a Family by Gigi Kaeser
A glorious collection of first-rate LGBT family portraits. The collection also exists as a powerful traveling photo-text exhibit. 
Gay America: Struggle for Equality by Linas Alsenas
An eminently readable account, the first ever for young readers, of the milestones of GLBT history, from Oscar Wilde to legalized gay marriage.
Welcome back everyone!
From the dad with a child in one hand and a book in the other,
Christian Porter