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Fairfax schools returns LGBTQ-themed books in high school libraries

Review found ‘no pedophilia’ in texts as critics claimed

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(Book cover insert courtesy of Amazon)

The Fairfax County Public Schools announced on Tuesday that following a detailed review by two committees appointed by school officials it has returned two LGBTQ themed books to its high school libraries that had been temporarily withdrawn after being challenged by critics who claimed they included sexually explicit content inappropriate for students.

The two books, “Lawn Boy,” a novel by author Jonathan Evison, and “Gender Queer: A Memoir,” which is described as an illustrated autobiography by non-binary author Maia Kobabe, each contain descriptions of sexual acts.

But supporters of the books have argued that they have won praise by literary critics and, while describing intimate relationships, they tell stories that do not fall into the category of pornography.  

Fairfax County Public Schools, the name used for the county’s public school system, on Tuesday said in a statement that a thorough review of the books by two committees consisting of educators, school officials, parents and some students found that neither book contained content that could be considered to depict pedophilia as claimed by some parents and others opposing the two books.

School officials announced they had temporarily withdrawn the two books from school libraries following a Sept. 23 meeting of the Fairfax County School Board where strong objections to the two books were raised by parents.

“Two books that were subject to formal challenge have been deemed appropriate for high school readers following a two-month review process and will be reinstated to Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) libraries,” Tuesday’s statement by the school system says.

“The decision reaffirms FCPS’s ongoing commitment to provide diverse reading materials that reflect our student population, allowing every child an opportunity to see themselves reflected in literary characters,” the statement continues. “Both reviews concluded that the books were valuable in their potential to reach marginalized youth who may struggle to find relatable literary characters that reflect their personal journey,” the statement says.

The statement says the final decision to reinstate the books was made by Noel Klimenko, the Fairfax County Public Schools’ assistant superintendent for its Instructional Services Department.

The two books have received favorable reviews in various literary publications. Both have received the American Library Association’s Alex Award, an annual award that recognizes the year’s 10 books written for adults that the association says have a special appeal to young adults ages 12 through 18.

“The robust committee process took place over several weeks and considered whether the books flouted regulations by being obscene or harmful to juveniles as defined by the Code of Virginia,” the school system statement says. “The members also considered the work in line with an excerpt from the FCPS Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook pertaining to possessing obscene visual imagery as defined in the Code of Virginia,” the statement says.

“After careful consideration, neither books were deemed to have fallen foul of these regulations,” it concludes.

The decision by Fairfax school officials to reinstate the two books came about six weeks after more than 425 LGBTQ students and allies from over 30 Fairfax County public high schools sent a letter to the school board and the school system’s superintendent urging them to reinstate the two books.

The Pride Liberation Project, a coalition of LGBTQ and allied students in Fairfax County, organized the joint letter.

“Student representatives from over 30 schools, including nearly every high school in Fairfax County Public Schools, have signed this letter, and many of us are students of color, low-income, gender expansive and not out to our families and communities,” the letter states.

“We are writing to ask you to reject calls to remove Maia Kobabe’s ‘Gender Queer’ and Jonathan Evison’s ‘Lawn Boy’ from Fairfax County Public Schools libraries,” the letter says.

It points out that “hundreds of books in our schools already depict heterosexual relationships and physical intimacy,” and says singling out LGBTQ themed books with similar stories of intimacy for rejection is unfair.

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Maryland

At transgender visibility celebration, Moore called out for lack of action

Trans Maryland Founding Executive Director Lee Blinder criticized governor at event

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Lee Blinder, founding executive director of Trans Maryland, speaks to Maryland Gov. Wes Moore during a ceremony for the International Day for Transgender Visibility. Blinder called out the governor for not backing up his words with action. (Photo by Jessica Gallagher for the Baltimore Banner)

By PAMELA WOOD | In a ceremonial room at the historic State House on International Transgender Day of Visibility, Lee Blinder stepped to a lectern and did something rare: They called out Gov. Wes Moore for failing to back up his words with action.

Over the course of five minutes, Blinder laid out how the Democratic governor has let down transgender Marylanders by not putting money in the budget and not backing needed policy changes.

“We know who you, Gov. Moore, can be for us. And I am begging you to do it,” Blinder said.

The rest of this article can be found on the Baltimore Banner’s website.

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District of Columbia

Rainbow History Project announces details of WorldPride exhibition

‘Pickets, Protests, and Parades’ to be on display at Freedom Plaza May 19-July 6

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A scene from the Gay and Lesbian Pride festival on June 17, 1990. (Blade archive photo by Doug Hinckle)

D.C.’s Rainbow History Project has announced details of its WorldPride 2025 exhibition called  “Pickets, Protests, and Parades: The History of Gay Pride in Washington.”

The non-profit, all-volunteer group, which has been chronicling LGBTQ history in the D.C. area for the past 25 years, says its World Pride Exhibition will be set up from May 27 through July 6 in Freedom Plaza, which is located on Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. between 13th and 14th streets.   

RHP spokesperson Emma Cieslik said the multi-display exhibition would be open 24 hours every day during that seven-week period with full all-weather and security protection, including illumination for night-time viewing.

“From 1965 to the present day, the exhibition divides D.C.’s LGBTQ+ history into 10 eras that are explored in a visual timeline wall along Pennsylvania Avenue,” according to a statement released by Rainbow History Project. “Alongside the timeline wall are 10 large cubes with archival photos of pickets, protests, and parades, as well as portraits of Community Pioneers who championed each era called the Hero Cubes,” the statement says.

“The exhibition disrupts the popularly held belief that the LGBTQ+ Rights Movement began with the Stonewall Riots in 1969 in New York,” the statement points out.

It adds that while the  riots in response to the NYPD raid at the Greenwich Village gay bar Stonewall was a “vital” boost to the LGBTQ rights movement, another historic LGBTQ action in D.C. pre-dates Stonewall – the April 17, 1965 “Picket for Homosexual Rights” in front of the White House that was organized by the Mattachine Society of Washington and its then leader, D.C. gay rights pioneer Frank Kameny.

“RHP recognizes this picket, four years before the Stonewall Riots, where 10 members of the Mattachine Society of Washington marched with signs in front of the White House – as the start of D.C.’s rich queer history,” the statement says. 

It says RHP will hold a re-enactment of the 1965 White House homosexual rights picket at 4:15 p.m. on April 17, 2025, on its 60th anniversary.

“This exhibition is the culmination of 25 years of RHP’s work and is the largest in RHP’s history,” the statement added regarding the Freedom Plaza exhibition.

RHP spokesperson Cieslik said the joint application by WorldPride 2025 and Rainbow History Project for a permit for use of Freedom Plaza for the RHP exhibition and other WorldPride events is in the final stages of approval but had not yet been approved.

Ryan Bos, executive director of D.C.’s Capital Pride Alliance, which is the lead organizer of WorldPride 2025, has said the permit application process for use of U.S. Park Service controlled federal parks and land, such as Freedom Plaza and the National Mall, were moving ahead as planned.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Park Service didn’t immediately respond to a request from the Washington Blade for the status of the Freedom Plaza permit application.

Full details of the Rainbow History Project’s WorldPride exhibition, including photos of the specific exhibits, can be accessed at rainbowhistory.org.

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Virginia

Fairfax County School Board issues Trans Day of Visibility proclamation

Activists hold rally supporting measure

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Fairfax County School Board members, students, parents and other supporters gather on the stage at Luther Jackson Middle School auditorium on Thursday, March 27 following the passage of a proclamation recognizing Transgender Day of Visibility in Fairfax County Public Schools. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

A group of more than 100 supporters gathered outside of Luther Jackson Middle School in Falls Church, Va., on Thursday, March 27 to show appreciation for the passage of a Transgender Day of Visibility proclamation by the Fairfax County School Board. The board unanimously passed the proclamation in its general meeting held in the auditorium of the middle school that evening.

Karl Frisch, Fairfax County School Board chair, introduced the proclamation recognizing March 31 as Transgender Day of Visibility in Fairfax County Public Schools.

The Fairfax County School Board passed the proclamation, which “encourages all to promote a caring culture of equity, inclusivity and respect for transgender people, not only on this special day but throughout the entire year as well.”

Vanessa Hall, co-chair of FCPS Pride, was among the speakers and organizers of the Transgender Day of Visibility rally preceding the school board meeting.

“In this world right now, this world which feels so chaotic and threatening — which really seems to be overly focused on trans children, removing their rights — we need to take this opportunity to gather our community, to celebrate joy, to see each other and to gather our strength for the next attack, frankly,” Hall told the Blade.

Activists gather outside of Luther Jackson Middle School on Thursday, March 27 before the Fairfax County School Board meeting. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Rev. Emma Chattin of the Metropolitan Community Church of Northern Virginia was among the speakers at the rally.

“We have to be visible — all of us — friends, family, allies, speak up!” Chattin called out to the crowd. “To do otherwise does a disservice to the strong souls that came before us. For the struggles that they faced are now ours. The spirits of Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera look to us now. Because liberation is a long, long struggle. We are not helpless and we cannot be hopeless. Our time is now. We are a powerful people. We leave a mark and we will not be erased.”

A rally is held outside of Luther Jackson Middle School on Thursday, March 27 in support of LGBTQ students. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)
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