A Door Half Open: Young People's Access to Fiction Related to Homosexuality

Abstract

How, and how well, do libraries meet the needs of lesbian, gay, and bisexual young people? This article considers the fiction resources of school and public libraries, specifically fiction written for young people that has themes related to homosexuality and/or contains gay and lesbian characters. Our work in compiling the annotated bibliography Out of the Closet and Into the Classroom (1996) is described, highlighting the mechanisms used to identify and locate relevant novels and picture books. Comment is made on the role gay and lesbian characters play in the novels, the sex of the characters, and how gays and lesbians are represented in the books. Finally, the article considers how young people may gain access to these novels and picture books.