LGBTQ+ kids need to see themselves reflected in books. I was denied that.
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Book bans: Youth are being left out
Across the country, an onslaught against books that address themes of sexuality, identity and gender has emerged. Not surprisingly, in North Carolina the attack on LGBTQ+ themed books was launched by Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, who referred to books like “Melissa” by Alex Gino as “filth.”
Now, some parents in Wake County have filed criminal complaints accusing the school system of distributing “pornography.”
Feeling like I was a “criminal” as a child was exactly why I needed books like Gino’s. Society made clear that folks like me who did not conform to heteronormativity were immoral and inferior. Denying access to examples of queerness and nonconformity was the primary way that this was accomplished.
I knew nothing about the queer musicians entertainers, activists, organizers and writers that I needed to know about, which enabled feelings of isolation, worthlessness and suicidal ideation. Equally distressing was that I had no avenues to express what I needed from my schools, nor did I have any confidence that my opinion had influence over my education.
Adults were in charge, plain and simple. Youth were expected to do as told. Such expectations are reflected in ongoing debates around books like “Gender Queer: A Memoir.” Adults dominate the debate and youth are missing from the discussions and decisions.
If folks want to know what youth need to be protected from, why not ask the youth themselves? To find out what books are making a positive impact on them, ask them.
Youth are clearly finding LGBTQ+ themed books relevant and inspirational, as evidenced by “All Boys Aren’t Blue” being the #1 nominated book for 2021 on the Young Adult Student Library Association Teen’s Top Ten list.
Robinson and others may claim they are attempting to keep “pornography” out of K-12 schools, but this is also about fear-mongering and undermining youth autonomy.
Maximillian Matthews, Durham
NC must move quickly on RGGI
The writers are Duke University Earth Science professors.
2020 was the hottest year since record-keeping began in 1880. This heat hits North Carolina workers hard, with losses of $450 billion per year, largely in agriculture, construction and manufacturing. These are projected to double by 2050 without strong action.
With no federal climate policy on the table, the states must lead the way. North Carolina needs to move quickly.
Over three years ago, Gov. Roy Cooper issued an executive order calling for reductions in heat-trapping gas pollution and tasked environmental regulators to develop a plan to cut carbon pollution from the power sector. DEQ worked with a broad group of stakeholders to develop a Clean Energy Plan, setting goals of a 70% reduction of power sector carbon pollution by 2030, net zero by 2050.
Experts from Duke University and UNC found that the most cost-effective option to achieve the goals was for the state to set a declining cap on carbon pollution from power plants and join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, an ongoing effort by 11 states to reduce carbon pollution.
Capping carbon emissions from power plants and joining RGGI would get our state most of the way to the 70% by 2030, by driving down generation (and pollution) from coal-fired power plants.
RGGI is a proven success, having cut heat-trapping gas emissions from the original nine states roughly in half while electricity costs fell, all while providing billions in health benefits.
North Carolina’s families and communities deserve these benefits too.
In October, the legislature passed and the governor signed House Bill 951, which enshrined the DEQ Clean Energy Plan - but then delayed action by directing the Utilities Commission to develop yet another plan to achieve those goals.
It’s time for action, not more planning.
The Cooper administration should move quickly to cap carbon pollution and join other states in the RGGI initiative, a proven, cost-effective option to meet the HB 951 carbon-reduction goals.
William H. Schlesinger
Drew Shindell