Out Spotlight

Today's Out Spotlight is an organization that is continuing to reach out to the public an support a message of educating, acceptance and inclusion. Today's Out Spotlight is the American Library Association. (ALA)

In what started as grassroots acknowledgment in 1971, the ALA began honoring hallmark works in GLBT publishing. The Gay Book Award, as it was known then, became an official American Library Association award in 1986, the next year, its name was changed to the Gay and Lesbian Book Award. "Beginning in 1990, the Book Award expanded into two categories: nonfiction and literature. In 1994, the name changed once more to the Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Book Award. In 1999, when the Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Task Force became the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered Round Table, the name changed yet again to the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered Book Award. In 2002, the name changed to the Stonewall Book Award-Barbara Gittings Literature Award and the Stonewall Book Award-Israel Fishman Non-Fiction Award."

The award reflects the growth of the GLBT publishing industry. In the first few years there were only a handful of books from which to choose from, but by 1995 there were over 800 titles eligible for that year's award.

This year, after 40 years of the Stonewall Book Awards, the ALA expanded the award to add a Children & Young Adult Literature Award. The first children & young adult award will be announced on January 10, 2011, when other ALA book awards including the prestigious John Newbery and Randolph Caldecott medals for children's literature will be announced.

Roberta Stevens, the president of the American Library Association, said in a statement that children’s books that include the experiences of gays and lesbians “are critical tools in teaching tolerance, acceptance and the importance of diversity.”

The American Library Association said there was a growing demand for high-quality children’s books that reflect the experiences of gays and lesbians, citing a national statistic that an estimated 14 million children have a gay or lesbian parent. The most current U.S. Census data shows that one-third of female partner households and one-fifth of male partner households contain children.

Books that win awards from the association are closely watched by librarians, teachers and parents, and are typically distributed widely in bookstores, schools and libraries after receiving a prize.

Books with gay and lesbian themes often place high on the association's yearly report of works most criticized and threatened with removal by parents and educators. "And Tango Makes Three," Justin Richardson's and Peter Parnell's acclaimed picture story about two male penguins who become parents, topped the list from 2007 to 2009.

"Ours is a very inclusive profession and we represent a wide variety of viewpoints," says association president Roberta Stevens, who noted that the decision to add the Stonewall prize was made well before the recent wave of suicides by teens believed to be victims of anti-gay bullying. "Millions of children in this country are being raised by gay or lesbian parents. There are young people who are gay and sometimes they feel very alone. This is a real opportunity for youths who may be feeling alone to read about other like themselves."


And an aside:

Congratulations to Austin, on completing his first half marathon, and not being eaten by gators.

First Half Marathon. No Gators ate me. Incredible experience. - AUS10

No word if he mooned anyone.