In the US, LGBTQ librarians grapple with attacks on books – and on themselves
- People who identify as LGBTQ say they are facing increasing difficulties at work, ranging from being repeatedly misgendered to physically assaulted
Idaho librarian June Meissner was closing up for the day at the downtown Boise Public Library when a man approached her asking for help.
As an information services librarian, answering patrons’ questions is part of Meissner’s day-to-day work, and serving the community is one of her favourite parts of the job.
But when the man got close enough, “he took a swing at me and tried to punch me in the head”, said Meissner, a transgender woman. “I blocked it and he started yelling slurs and suggesting that he was going to come back and kill me.”
Worldwide Pride Month events are well under way to celebrate LGBTQ culture and rights. But it is coming at a time when people who identify as LGBTQ say they are facing increasing difficulties at work, ranging from being repeatedly misgendered to physically assaulted.
Gender-nonconforming library workers in particular, like Meissner, are also grappling with growing calls for book bans across the United States, with books about gender identity, sexual orientation and race topping the list of most criticised titles and making the attacks all the more personal.
“When we see attacks on those books, we have to understand that those are attacks on those kinds of people as well,” said Emily Drabinski, who is the president of the American Library Association (ALA) and is gay. “To have my identity weaponised against libraries and library workers, the people and institutions I care about the most, has made it a difficult and painful year.”
