So the destruction of the Institute of Sexology is in a lot of people's minds right now, which is fantastic. In a world where more and more books are being banned, thinking and talking about the extremes of this behavior is absolutely necessary. But I would really like to talk about some actionable steps you can take right now to preserve and uplift queer voices.
Request queer books from your local library (here is a massive list of queer books, it is an affiliate link).
Look into indie queer books that are coming out, the publishing industry is messy at the best times, and we are not in the best of times. I follow Queer Book Box to keep updated on recent indie releases, they are also just an all-around great project.
Do some research and see if there is a queer bookstore near you, and support it if you can.
If reading is a part of your social media presence, it might be worth seeing if you can/want to participate in Trans Rights Readathon.
Buy queer books (see massive list above).
Show up to local meetings/elections.
Email your representative to talk about your concerns if queer book banning is happening in your area.
Support queer projects running right now, I may be biased but Making Queer History is worth checking out, and so is Queer Nature and LGBTQ Reads, but also look local. See what is in your area and see what they need.
Follow and uplift queer projects on social media.
Learn and share queer history.
If you create art and are queer, keep doing that, please do not give up or hide away.
Queer history is being made right now. People are going to look at how we as a community responded to our voices being silenced, and I hope this helps you decide how you want to be a part of that story.
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