Last week I spoke at the South African Librarian’s Conference at Highbury in KZN (presentation one and presentation two) and heard Barbara Band speak about how the library can be a vital tool to make schools more inclusive and help all students thrive. It struck a cord for me because in high school I basically lived in the library during breaks for three years. My librarians weren’t especially empathetic or insightful but it was still a safe place in an unsafe school. As always we can’t forget that South Africa is a deeply unequal country and that only 37% of learners are in a school with a library (Page 20 from this DBE report).
In Barbara’s address she mentioned a bunch of different sites and resources and I asked her to email them to me so I could share the mall with you, so here they are:
Booklists and bookshops:
Juno Dawson – We Need Diverse Books- Abe Books
- Guardian’s Top Ten LGBT Books for Pre-Teens
- Ten of the Best: Teenage novels with gay or lesbian characters
- Goodreads: Best YA fiction with LGBTQ* characters/themes
- The Ten LGBT YA books you need to read this year
- 25 Must-Read YA books featuring gay protagonists
- What are the best LGBT books for children, teens and YAs?
- ALA Rainbow Book List 2016
- Gay’s The Word bookshop
- Letterbox Library bookshop
- Multicultural Books
- Trentham Books
- Willesden Bookshop – multicultural children’s book specialists
List of organisations that support diversity and inclusion:
- Ditch The Label – anti-bullying charity supporting 12 – 25 year olds
www.ditchthelabel.org - EACH – Educational Action Challenging Homophobia: provides training, support and resources.
http://www.each.education/ - Educate and Celebrate – Ofsted and DFE recognised programme to implement LGBTQ/inclusive curriculum
www.educateandcelebrate.org - Gendered Intelligence – a not-for-profit company whose aim is to increase understandings of gender diversity.
http://genderedintelligence.co.uk/ - GIRES – Gender Identity Research and Education Society: aim is to improve lives of trans and gender non-conforming people. Lots of links to articles, research, legal advice, etc.
http://www.gires.org.uk/ 
IGLYO – International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Youth and Student Organisation: works with over 95 LGBTQ groups, run by and for young people.
http://www.iglyo.com/- Inclusive Minds – a group of consultants and campaigners working to improve diversity in children’s literature.
http://www.inclusiveminds.com/ - Kidscape – deals with anti-bullying and child protection
www.kidscape.org.uk - Mermaids – Family and individual support for children and teens with Gender Identity Issues.
http://www.mermaidsuk.org.uk/ 
Metro – Equality and diversity charity, focusing mainly around London and South East.
www.metrocentreonline.org- Rewind – works in education to challenge racism and extremism
http://rewind.org.uk - Schools Out UK – aim is to make schools safe and inclusive for everyone: lots of links to resources and other relevant websites.
www.schools-out.org.uk - Stonewall – help and advice, carries out research, partners with schools and organisations, lots of resources.
http://www.stonewall.org.uk/ - Welcoming Schools – aimed at US elementary schools but has useful information, advice, etc.
http://www.welcomingschools.org/
ALSO USEFUL:
- LGBT History Month
http://lgbthistorymonth.org.uk - Equality Act 2010 – guidance for schools in England https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/sites/default/files/technical_guidance_for_schools_england.pdf
Nic Spaull 