Today, we’re talking about Heartstopper. While not connected to botany, leaves are used in most scene transitions and plant life seems to grow at emotionally strategic moments, so we’ll take it. Also it’s pride month and this is a queer teen love story.
Celebrating Queer Identities: LGBTQ+ Readathon and Charity Auction
Greetings, guys, gals, and non-binary pals and welcome to the first readathon I’ve hosted!
I had fun participating in the Asian Readathon in May and wanted to do the same in June for pride. However, from what I’ve seen, there’s no already-existing LGBTQ+ reading challenge, at least for the month of June. Consequently, I’ve created one. You can pop over to The StoryGraph to participate, or just do so on your own, if you’d like. Also, a heads-up that all book links (including the clickable images) are affiliate links, leading to sales pages for said books. Just so you know that if you purchase something, I get a small commission.
While there are several prompts, keep in mind that you can use one book for multiple prompts,
I’m also going to be selling 10 pride flag inspired abstract paintings, the profits of which will be donated to the Center for Black Equity, which works to improve the lives of black LGBT people, globally. Unless something changes, this will be taking place on Instagram.
Many thanks to The Honeycomb :)
Prompts:
1. Read a book written by an LGBTQ+ author.
2. Read a book with an LGBTQ+ protagonist.
3. Read a book with LGBTQ+ characters/author/etc from your favorite genre.
4. Read a non-fiction book by an LGBTQ+ author.
5. Read a book by a BI-POC author with LGBTQ+ characters.
6. Read a book that is non-US centric with LGBTQ+ characters.
Bonus:
i. Read a book that spotlights lesser-emphasized parts of the LGBTQ+ community (either author or characters) Ex. ace, aro, pan, intersex, etc.
ii. Read a book with an LGBTQ+ focus, written prior to 1950.
iii. Read a book with trans/non-binary characters or by a trans/non-binary author.
iv. Read a book by a new-to-you LGBTQ+ author.
It's meant to be pretty low-stress, so you can use one book for multiple prompts, just please pick books from different authors, and ideally from authors of diverse gender, sexuality, and cultural identities.
For example, I'll be reading ACE, by Angela Chen, fulfilling all the prompts except the bonuses for a trans or non-binary author/characters and being written prior to 1950. Also kind of favorite genre. Non-fiction’s hit or miss for me sometimes.
Hurricane Child, by Kacen Callender, fulfilling the prompts of being written by an LGBTQ author, about (presumably) an LGBTQ character, and being written by a trans or non-binary author. The story follows 12 yr old Caroline Murphy, who is a ‘hurricane child’ or a child who was born during a hurricane and is thus seen as bad luck. It’s a magical-realism middle grade. It looks like there might be some sapphic elements, but StoryGraph is also letting me know there’s content warnings for self harm, homophobia, and racism.
And The Picture of Dorian Gray, by Oscar Wilde, fulfilling the prompts of being written by an LGBTQ author, about (presumably) an LGBTQ character, and having been written prior to 1950.
I've had a copy of that one for years and have never gotten around to it. From what I’ve heard from other reviews, it’s at least borderline horror? We’ll see.
Other recommendations are The Henna Wars and The Prince and the Dressmaker, which I read for May's Asian Readathon. As a content warning, both had homophobia, the latter much more than the former, though the former has elements of transphobia as well. There is also a running commentary on racism toward our Bengali main character and her family.
If you decide to participate, feel free to use the #ReadLGBTQPride hashtag
Any book-reading method works for this, including but not limited to physical copies, e-books, audiobooks, and braille. If you want to participate in the charity art canvases, links will be below, along with links to information and ways to help regarding the events currently unfolding in Palestine, India, and Brazil.
Hoping you’re all doing well.
-Ryn
Links:
Vaccine info: Othena vaccine registration | Walgreens vaccine registration
Global Issues:
How to help India: https://linktr.ee/hindusamata
How to help Colombia: https://conflictoencolombia.carrd.co/
How to help Palestine: https://twitter.com/slexiecult/status/1390779196125949954?s=20 How to help
Myanmar: https://www.rescue.org/country/myanmar
Anti-Asian Violence Resources: https://anti-asianviolenceresources.carrd.co/
Social Media Links: https://linktr.ee/AdventuRyn
The Amazing Plant Project Youtube | Twitch | Podcast | Patreon | Redbubble | Goodreads
Image by InspiredImages from Pixabay
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Humanity's Beautiful Diversity
Human rights and diversity are important regardless of your background, dear reader, but are perhaps most spotlighted when concerning those members of society whose voices tend to be suppressed in some way. Minority voices are important, brightening and enlivening the global human narrative, whether that be religion, ethnic background, sexual orientation, gender expression, relative ablebodiedness, or other aspects.