Representations of trans youth in young adult literature: a report and a suggestion

The 2011 National School Climate Survey implemented by the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) found that "Transgender students experienced more hostile school climates than their non-transgender peers-80 percent of transgender students reported feeling unsafe at school because of their gender expression. In her keynote address at the 2012 Massachusetts Library Association Teen Summit, Ellen Wittlinger, author of Parrotfish, discussed how, in writing her novel-which tells the story of Grady, a transgender teenage boy-her wish was to write books that not only showed excellent role models for gay youth but also introduced straight youth to their LGBTQpeers.