UPDATE JANUARY 1, 2022:    Many thanks to each person who has so generously contributed to this initiative (which includes people from British Columbia to Nova Scotia who either contributed to the GoFundMe campaign, sent a donation directly to the Guelph Public Library, and/or provided great suggestions for books the library could purchase).  To date we collectively raised over $1,800 and I have been told that as a result of this, the library will be able to purchase between 70-90 books and/or other resources such as DVDs, eBooks and Audiobooks on a variety of issues related to LGBTIQ2+ rights. I am literally over the moon at the thought.

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I'll start with the confession. Over 40 years ago, I went into the public library in my hometown of Guelph, Ontario, Canada. I combed the shelves to see if a certain book was still there. To my horror it was. I took the book from the shelf, went into the washroom, ripped it up, threw it into the garbage can, then stealthily left the building.

 

Now, I am not normally one to vandalize books and to this day (I promise) I have never felt compelled to destroy another one. But this was no ordinary hardcover. It was a hate filled publication telling LGBTQI2+ people like me that we were sick and broken, that we could never live happy or healthy lives , but that we could be fixed and cured of our affliction through electroshock conversion therapy – a practice that I am happy to say was made illegal in Canada this month when the Canadian parliament unanimously agreed to pass Bill C-4.

 

Growing up in Guelph in the 1960-70s, there were few, if any resources about LGBTIQ2+ issues and even fewer visible role models. This was the only book I could find on the library shelf at the time and it left a deep and harmful imprint on me for many years as I am sure it did on many other queer youth in my home town who were also trying to understand and come to terms with their feelings with respect to their sexual orientation or gender identity.

 

My ask

The debate in the Canadian parliament these past months around conversion therapy made me think back to this period of my life and to all those who, like me, came close to being, or were victims of this abominable practice. I would like to turn this negative experience into a positive one, and make sure that queer and/or questioning youth in Guelph have a safe space to go where they will find meaningful resources that will help them understand that they are not only OK, but that they are fabulous.

 

Today the Guelph Public Library is a very different space and is committed to providing positive, LGBTIQ2+ resources to the community. I was reassured (after recently confessing my “crime” to a very compassionate librarian) to hear the acknowledgement “It is a work in progress, but we are very conscious of the power of books and both the harm and good they can do.” While the library does have a number of LGBTIQ2+ resources, there are many other books from a great diversity of LGBTIQ2+ perspectives and experiences that they would like to purchase.

 

I am determined to contribute to making this happen. Will you help me?

 

(NOTE: As the Guelph Pubic Library is a registered charity, you will get a tax receipt for your contribution)