Media of Note February 18, 2014: YA Diversity, Bechdel, and Anti-Bullying

Authors Relaunch YA Diversity Website

YA authors Cindy Pon and Malinda Lo have relaunched their Tumblr website Diversity in YA that was founded in 2011 as a website and book tour. The site states: “We celebrate young adult books about all kinds of diversity, from race to sexual orientation to gender identity and disability. Our goal is to bring attention to books and authors that might fall outside the mainstream, and to bring the margin to the center.” Instead of reviews, Diversity publishes author guest posts and interviews, bibliographies, analyses of data about diversity in YA books, and links to discussion about diversity in YA books. This week’s new releases lists Beyond Magenta, and a valuable bibliography from 2013 is a list of LGBT people of color in YA lit.

‘Ring of Keys’ from Bechdel’s Memoir

Last month the musical Fun Home, adapted by Lisa Kron and Jeanine Tesori from Alison Bechdel’s 2006 graphic memoir, closed after its five-month run Off-Broadway at the Public Theater. Called “the first mainstream musical about a young lesbian,” the musical shows the author’s relationship with her gay father Bruce Bechdel. Those who missed the performance can enjoy the song “Ring of Keyes” about the first time that the author/character sees a butch.

Artist Supports Bullying Victim

Like many other children, Michael Morones, 11, loved My Little Pony. But ridicule from classmates led the North Carolina boy to attempt suicide last month. In response, Ohio-based artist Paul Richmond has co-launched a new campaign called “Art for Michael” as part of the  anti-bullying You Will Rise Project. It allows users to submit artwork supporting Morones who may have brain damage and needs a tube in his throat after his suicide attempt. Richmond hopes that the works submitted by April 30 will be in a hardbound book given to Morones’ parents.

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