News — YA literature
The Future of Classics
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To Kill a Mockingbird. 1984. Lord of the Flies. Fahrenheit 451. You’ve probably read them in your middle or high school English classes, maybe even several times. These are just a few of the numerous books we consider to be classics today, worthy of a place on everyone’s bookshelves as we reread and discuss them in book clubs and classes time and time again. So what about these books makes them worthy of being timeless classics? What do they all have in common that makes us...
Who has the “right” to queer stories?
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I’m a little late to the party on this, but I wanted to respond to the recent dust-up on social media involving some antagonistic, passive-aggressive tweets from Gaby Dunn directed at Becky Albertalli. There’s a lot to unpack here, so bear with me.
First of all, I do not agree with several of the things Dunn said in those tweets. No LGBTQIA+ person owes anyone a coming out. No one needs to be “comfy”...
Author Spotlight: Allison Fradkin
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Today's UPSTAGED! interview is with Allison Fradkin, who (in her own words) is "a triple threat—patron, playwright, performer." Her YA story, "I Think I'm Gonna Like It Queer," is one of the most original pieces I've ever worked on. My own kids—performers themselves—loved it, their favorite part being identifying all the wonderful Broadway shows tucked inside.
What attracted you to the performing arts?
Remember the episode of I Love Lucy, "Lucy's Italian Movie," wherein the film's producer inquires, "Tell me, Mrs. Ricardo, have you ever...
Labeling LGBT content as "mature"
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Both YouTube and the world of books have a common problem: Labeling, warning, and filtering media for the inclusion of LGBTQIA+ content.
You read that right. We're not talking about sexually explicit material. The mere appearance of something flagged as LGBTQIA+ is enough to earn a content warning as "mature." Meanwhile, Disney Princesses continue to smooch their Prince Charmings and YouTubers promoting heterosexuality can share their wisdom about vibrators unrestricted.
Aside from the generalized ignorance that being LGBTQIA+ is somehow all about what folks do in bed, this has...