How One Queer Friendly Book Club Thrives in the Era of Book Bans

Vote for Brave Spaces in the Webbys! vote.webbyawar...
For generations, LGBTQ+ stories have been the target of censorship efforts. Did you know that early organizing against obscenity laws to make LGBTQ+ stories accessible laid the foundation of the Queer Liberation Movement? Today, the Gray Wills Book Club in Buffalo, New York, is a brave space to examine book-banning efforts and how the power of literacy can reverse the effects of oppression on Black and Queer folk.
*****
PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: to.pbs.org/Dona...
*****
Welcome to Brave Spaces, an eight-part video series hosted by Devin-Norelle, a model, trans educator and writer, here to share stories of triumph, transformation and celebration! In the face of policies designed to exclude queer folk, they are shattering barriers and claiming their own spaces: from book clubs resisting efforts to erase their stories, to sports leagues making competition accessible to all! Join zim as we meet courageous heroes who have stood up to centuries of hate in order to shape a world where love always wins. These are more than just safe spaces. These are Brave Spaces.
Subscribe to PBS Voices, so you never miss an episode! / @pbsvoices
Keep up with us!
Facebook: / pbsdigitalstudios
Twitter: / pbsds
Instagram: / pbsds

[@pbsvoices]

Brave Spaces is Webby Nominated! Help us out with a vote! vote.webbyawards.com/PublicVoting#/2024/video/general-video/diversity-equity-inclusion

[@TheAverycross]

Thank you so much for sharing this segment. I'm very glad that "Brave Spaces" and book clubs like the Gray Wills Book Club exist to keep both ideas and conversations, especially about LGBTQ+ people of color, alive. And *continuing* to fight to keep them alive:)

[@Sad_Bumper_Sticker]

I’ve been planning to read „Not all boys are blue” for months, thank you PBS for talking about the book and its importance.

[@starryJulyNIghtSky]

Thanks for making more content about recent book bannings, as a transgender student fighting them in my district it feels amazing seeing pbs my main source of entertainment support keeping books and talking about this issue- keep it up!

[@melaniescott2134]

Govt funded propaganda. Way to go Libs.

[@maxwellgrimsley]

Guess freedom of speech is only good when you have control over it 💀

[@jacqueshardin4601]

Please consider an episode about webcomics. One of my favorites, the Glass Scientists, is a queer retelling of the Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. In later chapters, I was surprised to see issues of racism and colorism be brought up as well. For context, this version has Lanyon as a gay biracial man of color and is in a lavender marriage. Also, Jekyll/Hyde is bisexual and did and do have feelings for eachother. I highly recommend it!

[@safaiaryu12]

Gonna have to look this up... I have so much love for retellings of classic stories, and I love Gothic horror, so this sounds incredible.

[@jacqueshardin4601]

@@safaiaryu12 Just so you know, the creator worked on Disney cartoons. Specifically Gravity Falls, Star vs the Forces of Evil, and the Owl House. The webcomic is closest to the Owl House in its sensibilities being aimed for teens and up. So there is some elements of Gothic horror, but it is also pretty goofy at times. I just don't want you to get the wrong idea.

[@safaiaryu12]

@@jacqueshardin4601 That's actually all the better. I haven't seen The Owl House but I've been told it's very good. I saw a couple seasons of Gravity Falls and enjoyed it. I love stuff that has a good balance of dark themes and humor.

[@jacqueshardin4601]

@@safaiaryu12 Oh, that is really good. One more thing, the comic will be published this October. The volume will contain chapters One through Seven. Also, the group that the creator, whose name I cannot say because almost every time I type it my comments disappear, are dedicated to webcomics featuring queer characters. Even the ones not explicitly labeled as LGBT. I can write an equation for their name though. (Beehive minus bee) plus works.

[@safaiaryu12]

Awesome, awesome video. Thank you for that bit about the Brooklyn Public Library, I live in Texas and did not know that. I will be perusing their collection. I'm not Black, but I am queer, and more and more lately I find myself gravitating towards authors and literature that reflect my queer experience. There's a legitimate critique to be made that I'm sitting in an echo chamber, but when the world feels like it's turning against you, there is something so incredibly comforting to read books that say, "You are valid and you are loved." On the other hand, I've also found myself reading much more literature by and about people of color as well. I went to a liberal high school, but even then, almost 20 years ago, the majority of literature we read was by white, western authors. I'm tired of it. There's so much value in diversity, in supporting artists who are different from you and through them, learning new points of view. There's a study somewhere that said that people who read more tend to have more empathy. And reading about an experience different from your own opens your mind. That's exactly why book bans are so incredibly dangerous.

[@Theballonist]

Always love to see nonbinary people just living their lives.

[@aaronsondag8347]

No such thing as a nonbinary person. They are literally just people who don’t fall into gender stereotypes. That doesn’t make them nonbinary. Don’t fall for the language control that they want.

[@nickc3657]

I just learned about the CIA’s (often successful) efforts in the 20th century to change literary tastes across the world to make sure revolutions never started. What constitutes “good storytelling” today was largely manufactured by the Agency’s CCF.

[@jjc5871]

Removing books that show children fellating an adult toy that another child has put on is not “censorship”, it’s “not sexualizing children by removing porn from schools”.

[@merlapittman5034]

Books are magic. I'm not sure I'd have survived without books

[@BlahBlah-em2ed]

Leave kids alone.

[@makeracistsafraidagain]

Never ban ANY book.

[@aaronsondag8347]

Democrats are always afraid to lose their power. Because they are the racists.

[@antipiracyleague2393]

even porn in areas where children can access?

[@samwill7259]

If a book is banned in your country, then you should absolutley be reading that book

[@JohnSmith-cd1gm]

Have you read Mein Kamph?

[@samwill7259]

@@JohnSmith-cd1gm I have. It's a disgusting, inhuman, psychopathic (not to mention poorly written) piece of garbage. And now I know exactly what I'm fighting point for point

[@blondie6549]

Oh my no no!!!

[@tywesley2047]

And I will never give a dime PBS. I hope y’all go off air!

[@Mr51street]

This is not banning books it’s protecting children from folks that put their sexuality before anything else

[@CapitalGainzz]

Finally a sane comment. All of these people only view themselves through their sexuality. Nothing else.

[@piranhaz]

I dont see the issue of likeminded intelegent queer black men conversing about litterature and connecting with thier experiences

[@jasminelillis5049]

THIS IS POWERFUL.

[@Faith_100]

There is no ban on books it’s a ban on sexually explicit books in the school libraries ! I wonder how people would feel if we brought a priest to read the Bible to children at public schools ? What do you think people would say if We pushed that on children in school ?

[@featuringdantefromthedevil9749]

Nobodies forcing the kids to read books related to lgbtq, the books are just there if they want to read them.

[@Faith_100]

@@featuringdantefromthedevil9749 That’s where you are wrong ! Not only are they bringing men dressed in Drag into the schools to read to young children they attack anyone who opposes it . Let a priest come read the Bible to children see how people react!

[@ugandahater]

​@@featuringdantefromthedevil9749you need a one way ticket into the sun 🚀 ☀️

[@justanidiotmk2749]

Ok protectophile

[@user-jr3sd4vw2d]

Please leave children ALONE don’t dirty them

[@foxgloved8922]

Great discussion thanks :)

[@ruthgoldman9791]

Fantastic first show! Can't wait to see the next episode. Go Buffalo and WNED!

[@katemoon1430]

Please let’s help preserve the innocence of children and teens 🙏🙏🙏 they are our future. Once adults, they are free to choose what they would like to read. Please 😢😔 children are helpless, some think they have to please adults. Please 😢😔 Consider parents who wish to guide their children. Please 😢😔😰

[@babs_babs]

you don’t know what you’re talking about, do you?

[@yourbossismyslave3409]

They don’t care, taking innocence gets them off! They love turning out the youth because THEY were turned out as youngsters 😤🤬

[@dukki.2192]

This is discouraging the fact that PBS is supporting this for youth. This is only a new age thing for this generation smh. Queerness and the like is only associated with the sexual liberation of the 70’s…so introducing this to kids is only encouraging hyper sexual behaviors when they get older. So yup, thanks for trying to encourage this for our kids

[@springsummerwinterorfall]

Why is everyone black? There are white people that are gay, but love to read.

[@springsummerwinterorfall]

How do you get upstairs if you’re in a wheelchair! Prejudice

[@alicemorrison1518]

This makes me want to join a book club!!!! ❤❤❤❤

[@bardika1]

Age appropriate curriculum is not banning books. Smh

[@karenreaves3650]

Definitely need defunded.

[@Knittingsteve]

I have been watching PBS for years. But if their going to stand with LGBQT. I will no longer be watching or letting my children watch PBS!

[@Muichro-kv9cn]

Well I guess you should also stop them from going to church

[@averylwhite]

Awesome piece!

[@Hooksh0t]

why is this an ad

[@CapitalGainzz]

Only viewing yourself through your sexuality and your skin color is not only sad but also narcissistic. Getting therapy is difficult but so is living a life that’s a lie.

[@justanidiotmk2749]

🤡

[@babs_babs]

you’re very out of touch. maybe don’t speak on things that you don’t understand

[@LoreEclectic]

If that's how you view people, that's your own problem.

[@DefektoPrime]

If you have a need to ban the thoughts and words of the people, you know what you are doing isn't right

[@mascadadelpantion8018]

There is just 100% no reason to ever ban a book. There is no exceptions

[@Mike-ud7hc]

Wow... first they take the father out of the black family, now they are trying to take men out of black society. Defund PBS.

[@Caterfree10]

Thank you for this. I really felt that about the being seen thing although my books for that was Gender Qu33r (censored here bc KZbin hates me reclaiming my own damn slurs

[@sarahwatts7152]

Is KZbin removing comments on videos now? 😬

[@Caterfree10]

@@sarahwatts7152 if I don’t censor my own reclaimed slurs, it does by default and has for a while now. I think it’s bc I all caps screamed about how Qu33r the updated Honeybee Inn sequence is in FFVII Remake and now it punishes me. ~_~

[@RandomDropUp]

That’s a grooming book that kids should not be exposed to.

[@khris8602]

@@RandomDropUpme when i have no idea what im talking about

[@lisakillz1853]

and , the bill does not say"don't say gay" it merely has age restriction. Why should it grade school kid have to consider sex at all?

[@LoreEclectic]

It sets a precedent in which they can ban other books, restrict other media ect.

[@The_D_Langlois]

The best book to read is the Holy Bible. ♥️ Repent and trust in The Savior. ✝️

[@kakashisensei9258]

I agree. I actually sat down and read the Bible and I turned into an atheist.

[@SussyBacha]

I like fantasy, too! The Lord of the Rings is great as well.

[@richarddangles8896]

#GAYSAGAINSTGROOMERS

[@jbuzzgirl]

😢

[@theclosetunlocked]

Great episode! 👏🏾

[@alyssacooper1190]

This is pathetic

[@bannedtwice7767]

Most places i see books "banned" is from schools and there is no such thing as the "don't say gay bill."

[@wsh2828]

I love the concept of this show so much! Can't wait to see more episodes

[@Jimmy94411]

“Book” bans looool🤣🤡

[@alexanderjustrom7850]

No thanks

[@SoloLeaux]

Loved this! I’ll be sharing everywhere

[@mrpepe1408]

Gender is a fact 😂

[@apoemaday]

Yes. Let’s have a display in every book store of “banned books” , create reading list of them and turn the census agenda into marketing! Bravo! ❤

[@lisakillz1853]

awesome just NOT in GRADE SCHOOL LIBRARIES.

[@MrSir-yo8cm]

People who read books to celebrate themselves are just strange

[@kimberlyterasaki4843]

What's strange about it? People read books to learn about who they are and who they want to be.

[@erraticonteuse]

You've never read a book that spoke to you on a personal level? That is special to you because you related to a character or an event or something?

[@amoraslucha]

Interesting. If you go to barnes and noble , and look at their three to four walls of all WWI and WWII books. those writers and the people who read them are celebrating themselves too 🤣🤡

[@MrSir-yo8cm]

@@erraticonteuse I read a huge number of books on every conceivable topic. I never read a book to celebrate myself. That is called propaganda. I tend to avoid that.

[@MrSir-yo8cm]

@@erraticonteuse That is not the same

[@JGDeRuvo]

Oh puhlease.

[@starguardlux2874]

What's the problem?

[@TheSeventhOutlaw]

@@starguardlux2874 They might not be able to read. I mean just look at that terrible spelling.

[@roccovanelli241]

Keep pushing that agenda.