The dramatic rise in banning LGBTQ+ books for young people has been a concern in the U.S. for a couple of years now and shows no signs of slowing down. While local school districts can pull books from their classrooms and individual towns can take books out of their public libraries—as hundreds did in 2021 […]
Author Archives: Eboné F. Bell
Posted inTop Stories
Acknowledging queer women during Women’s History Month
They say history is told by the victors, and history in the United States is told from the perspective of white, cisgender, straight men. Our schools teach this narrative but then take the opportunity during certain months to tell the history of “the other,” showing that we are not the ones whose history is the […]
Posted inCommentary
6 up and coming LGBTQ+ politicians to watch in 2023
A record number of openly LGBTQ+ politicians won their elections in November 2022 and they’re taking office this January. One can only hope that this record number “rainbow wave” of LGBTQ+ candidates is a promising sign of growing progress. Despite a tough legislative fight that lies ahead for some cities and states, many queer and […]
Posted inCommentary
Respect in death for our trans siblings
Another mass shooting, another act of violence against our community. We’re numbed to it, deadened to the daily nature of murders of our siblings and only the largest, shocking numbers grab the headlines now. This is why we honor Trans Day of Remembrance, to make sure no life goes unremembered even if their story didn’t […]
Posted inCaring for Community
The value of affirming caregiving for LGBTQ+ elders
Found families are one of the most treasured touchstones of the LGBTQ+ community. It is within these circles of friends who evolve into family that we find unconditional support, meaningful companionship and genuine belonging. As we continue to age, there’s an added role that the members of our found families may take on: that of caregivers.
Posted inTop Stories
LGBTQ+ votes are crucial on the local level
It seems like every election we say, “the stakes have never been higher” for the LGBTQ+ community and it is true every time. It’s exhausting and LGBTQ+ voters, especially in blue states, may not feel motivated to turn out in a midterm election while President Biden safely holds the White House and there is no […]
Posted inTop Stories
Banned Books Week is a reminder of why we need to fight for LGBTQ+ content
Book burnings evoke thoughts of Europe nearly a century ago, but they’re being suggested here in the U.S. this year under a scary climate that is trying to eliminate all LGBTQ+ books from the shelves of public libraries and schools—and not enough people are talking about it or trying to stop it. Many hope to […]
Posted inOpinion
The value of your visibility
Having the courage to be out and proud can be a lifeline to others, Eboné Bell shares in her recent commentary. Photo: Tim Samuel/Pexels We all know that representation matters. We’ve seen what happens when there aren’t enough LGBTQ+ individuals in Congress, not enough people of color policing our streets and not enough women making […]
Posted inTop Stories
Yes, we still need Black LGBTQ+ Pride events
Most of us know the story of the Stonewall Inn: We’ve heard how Black, Brown, and trans individuals in a small Greenwich Village bar rose up against the police in June 1969. While we often credit that night with sparking the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement, the larger queer community ignores the continuation of the story: […]