Education publisher Mason Crest is planning on releasing a 15 book series on LGBTIQ issues. Here is a listing of the books that are going to be published:

Being Gay, Staying Healthy
Coming Out: Telling Family and Friends
Feeling Wrong in Your Own Body: Understanding What It Means to Be Transgender
Gay and Lesbian Role Models
Gay Believers: Homosexuality and Religion
Gay Issues and Politics: Marriage, the Military, & Work Place Discrimination
Gays and Mental Health: Fighting Depression, Saying No to Suicide
Homophobia: From Social Stigma to Hate Crimes
Homosexuality Around the World: Safe Havens, Cultural Challenges
A New Generation of Homosexuality: Modern Trends in Gay & Lesbian Communities
Smashing the Stereotypes: What Does It Mean to Be Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, or Transgender?
Statistical Timeline and Overview of Gay Life
What Causes Sexual Orientation? Genetics, Biology, Psychology
Gay People of Color: Facing Prejudices, Forging Identities
Gay Characters in Theatre, Movies, and Television: New Roles, New Attitudes

While I do have to praise Mason Crest, I have to point out a degree of cissexism and homonormativity in the selection and weighting of subject matter

11 of the books focus on solely homosexuality
2 of the books focus on general LGBT concerns
1 of these books focuses on sexual orientation as a whole
1 of these books focuses specifically on transgender issues
0 of these books focuses specifically on bi issues
0 of these books focuses on intersex persons

I do believe that if we are to focus on the whole LGBTIQ experience, we should not focus most of the books on cisgendered homosexuals. For example, there are a lot of issues of politics, religion, prejudice, violence, race, stereotypes, and mental and physical health in terms of gender identity and even in bisexuality.

I haven't read the books, and have no word on whether they are out yet, but I am hoping that their titles don't imply that the whole series gives undue weight to only one part of the queer community. Also, I am hoping that they cover barriers to transition services for trans people as well as issues of gentrification and privilege, and I wish that they could have covered intersexuality as well as even polyamory.

I may rankle some feathers here, but I think that a 15 book series on LGBTIQ issues should probably look more like this.

1. What Is Sexual Orientation?
2. What Is Gender Identity?
3. What Is Intersexuality?
4. Coming Out. Being An Ally, and LGBTIQ etiquette
5. LGBTIQ Discrimination: Housing, Employment, Public Accomodations, Education, and Gender Neutral Marriage
6. LGBTIQ Phobias and Violence
7. LGBTIQ and Religion/Culture
8. LGBTIQ People of Color
9. LGBTIQ Around The World
10. LGBTIQ Stereotypes
11. LGBTIQ Healthcare And Barriers To Access: From AIDS/HIV to Transition Services
12. LGBTIQ in the Media And Role Models
13. Confronting Gentrification And Privilege in the LGBTIQ world
14. Staying Healthy While LGBTIQ: Mental and Physical Health Considerations
15. Special Considerations For Transgender People: From Restrooms to Dress Codes.

Yes, I do know the last one is something that may seem like it gives trans issues undue weight, but I feel that in public policy and social situations, there are a lot of issues that cisgendered people, no matter their sexual orientation, do not experience. I also would like to point out that these books should NEVER be completely Eurocentric, and if marketed to an audience in the Western Hemisphere, should give indigenous perspectives on sexuality and gender

I'd love to hear people's views on this matter. What would a 15 book series on LGBTIQ issues look like? How do we give children and teenagers a well rounded experience on LGBTIQ issues within the school setting?

-Jordan Gwendolyn Davis