MAINE, USA — A Maine LGBTQ+ organization is on a mission to help all students, regardless of their backgrounds, feel accepted and included at school and in their community.
The organization OUT Maine has started the campaign called "Read the Rainbow." So far, more than 900 books with LGBTQ+ themes have been purchased for interested school libraries across the state, and fundraising efforts are underway to fill additional book requests from schools. The campaign was started in response to recent efforts across the country to remove books from school libraries.
"The campaign is a way for people to counter these efforts in a constructive way," Jeanne Dooley, the executive director of OUT Maine, said. "Let's build the resources in our libraries so that young people can take out books and get information about who they are."
Dooley said many Maine schools lack inclusive content, which can make LGBTQ+ youth feel unseen.
“Having a book where [students] can actually see themselves being represented really makes them feel that there is a sense of empathy that people do appreciate what they're going through and that there's hope," said Dr. Anthony Ng., the medical director of community service at Acadia Hospital in Bangor.
If you're interested in donating to the "Read the Rainbow" campaign, you can click here to do so. The money will cover the cost of books; shipping, handling, and processing costs; and a partial donation to OUT Maine.
For every $400 donated, OUT Maine will send a set of at least 20 books to a library. This program spans all ages by breaking book bundles into grade groups (K-2, 3-5, 6-8, high school) to make sure the content and presentation of issues are appropriate.