A push toward gender inclusion requires a continued confrontation with what normative presumptions we possess about gender in our daily lives. Librarians can serve as advocates and allies in the work toward gender equity. This talk provides guidance on what it means to think inclusively about gender by reflecting on the ever-expanding and intersecting forms of gender identity under the umbrella of queer and trans. The talk explores how librarians can highlight and elevate queer communities to foster gender-inclusive futures. This presentation will explore multiple practices within librarianship that can center and affirm the work already ongoing within queer communities. In particular, the speaker will challenge notions of queer communities as information-poor or resource-lacking within a larger attempt to reframe historical practices of deficit model thinking within librarianship. Understanding that librarians also desire methods to support gender diversity beyond their daily work, the talk includes a discussion of tangible methods for championing the work of queer and trans activists, while highlighting what skills librarians can bring to the already occurring work of LGBTQIA+ activism.
This webinar was recorded on December 5, 2022, and has a runtime of approximately 60 minutes.