We Say Gay: Queer Kid Lit and Censorship in the Sunshine State
Date: Wednesday, August 27, 2025
Time: 7 – 9pm
Location: Calgary Central Library
Cost: Free
The Calgary Institute for the Humanities invites you to the 7th Annual LGBTQ2S+ Lecture, We Say Gay: Queer Kid Lit and Censorship in the Sunshine State.
In the United States, recent years have seen a dramatic increase in the censorship of information for young people about queer issues. New laws in states like Florida and Texas restrict discussions of LGBTQ2S+ topics in K-12 classrooms, even as book bans target titles by and about queer and BIPOC people especially. Such efforts are now extending into Canada. With an eye on the broader scene, this talk focuses on Florida as a case study, situating the current controversies in the context of queer literature for kids and the longer history of Florida LGBTQ2S+ community and activism.
Speaker Bio
Kenneth Kidd is Professor of English at the University of Florida, where he also serves as Affiliate Faculty with the Department of Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies. He researches and writes about children’s literature and culture. His six co-edited essay collections — two with University of Calgary faculty member Dr. Derritt Mason — take up topics such as queer kid lit, literary prizing, environmentalism, and archival studies. He’s also the author of three books, most recently Theory for Beginners: Children’s Literature as Critical Thought. With Dr. Elizabeth Marshall he co-edits the Routledge book series on Children’s Literature and Culture.
Free event. Registration required: wesaygay.eventbrite.ca.
For more information, contact cih@ucalgary.ca.
