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Feeling inspired by the Amazon LGBT+ Reading Roadshow?

3 min
school children at the Amazon LGBT+ reading roadshow
This week Amazon kicked off the LGBT+ Reading Roadshow, a new initiative that brings literacy, diversity and inclusion together

If you’re feeling inspired by our launch of the LGBT+ Reading Roadshow, there’s plenty more support available to help you boost LGBT+ inclusion in your school or community.

Launched in partnership with LGBT+ education charity Just Like Us and media outlet Pink News, the LGBT+ Reading Roadshow will be visiting schools around the country to run free LGBT+ diversity workshops for ages 11-14. By giving a voice to role models from our business and providing school libraries with free, age-appropriate and expert-approved literature on LGBT+ themes, we hope to play our part in building a more inclusive society.

If you’re a school teacher, community leader, parent or carer feeling inspired by the LGBT+ Reading Roadshow, there is plenty of inspiration out there.

Here are five ways to get you started!

PAGE OVERVIEW
Check out our LGBT+ Reading Roadshow curated book list
  • TABLE OF CONTENTS
    Check out our LGBT+ Reading Roadshow curated book list
  • Check out our LGBT+ Reading Roadshow curated book list
  • Engage with LGBT+ educational charity Just Like Us
  • Become a Stonewall School Champion
  • Get support from the LGBT Consortium and LGBT Foundation
  • Keep up to date with Pink News and Homo Sapiens
This week Amazon kicked off the LGBT+ Reading Roadshow, a new initiative that brings literacy, diversity and inclusion together

If you’re feeling inspired by our launch of the LGBT+ Reading Roadshow, there’s plenty more support available to help you boost LGBT+ inclusion in your school or community.

Launched in partnership with LGBT+ education charity Just Like Us and media outlet Pink News, the LGBT+ Reading Roadshow will be visiting schools around the country to run free LGBT+ diversity workshops for ages 11-14. By giving a voice to role models from our business and providing school libraries with free, age-appropriate and expert-approved literature on LGBT+ themes, we hope to play our part in building a more inclusive society.

If you’re a school teacher, community leader, parent or carer feeling inspired by the LGBT+ Reading Roadshow, there is plenty of inspiration out there.

Here are five ways to get you started!

  • 1
    Check out our LGBT+ Reading Roadshow curated book list

    Literature is a great way to tackle prejudice and explore sometimes complicated topics about relationships. A well-told story can be a fantastic way for any young person to explore new ideas in a way that is thoughtful and constructive.

    We know that many school libraries lack the availability of books on LGBT+ themes, and we want to help change that. Compiled with input from charities, media outlets, glamazon members and school literacy experts, all participating schools will receive a free Book Box containing a selection of inspiring, age-appropriate and expert-approved books by LGBT+ authors and on LGBT+ themes.

    Explore our curated books list here, recommended by experts, including brilliant texts from authors such as Alex Bertie and Lisa Williamson.

    Will Young and Chris Sweeney from Homo Sapiens
  • 2
    Engage with LGBT+ educational charity Just Like Us

    Amazon is a proud supporter of Just Like Us, our campaign partner for the LGBT+ Reading Roadshow. The charity works to support LGBT+ young people by helping schools create more accepting environments, celebrating diversity and showing pupils that being true to their authentic selves is an enabler rather than a barrier in their life.

    Just Like Us trains a national network of volunteers aged 18-25, giving them the skills they need to communicate with impact and to be positive role models.

    Workshops, role models and resources are available for all age ranges. Click here to find out more.

    With Pride
  • 3
    Become a Stonewall School Champion

    Stonewall’s mission is “to let all lesbian, gay, bi and trans people, here and abroad, know they’re not alone”.

    For schools and college, Stonewall delivers training, produces resources and provides membership programmes that empower teachers and education professionals to tackle homophobia, biphobia and transphobia.

    When you complete a course, you will automatically become a Stonewall School Champion.

    The charity provides best practice toolkits and educational resources for all age groups, as well as suggested reading lists for primary and secondary schools.

    Stonewall Diversity logo in black and white with star in left corner
  • 4
    Get support from the LGBT Consortium and LGBT Foundation

    The LGBT Consortium was set up in 1998 to address a lack of specialist infrastructure for supporting LGBT organisations and to help nurture the development of the LGBT sector. Today, the Consortium hosts the largest network of LGBT groups, projects and organisations in the UK.

    Check out the Directory for a comprehensive resource of local, regional and national support groups, initiatives and exciting projects to support and nurture LGBT+ communities.

    The LGBT Consortium has also partnered with the PSHE Association, the leading national body for Personal, Social & Health Education, to provide an invaluable selection of fact sheets for teachers, parents, carers and individuals seeking local support or information.

    Meanwhile, the LGBT Foundation is a national charity delivering advice, support and information services to LGBT+ communities. With 40 years of history, the Manchester-based charity is the largest of its kind and currently offers a range of services – serving over 40,000 people in person and over 600,000 people online per year.

    Amazon Pride
  • 5
    Keep up to date with Pink News and Homo Sapiens

    For regular news, views and interviews from across the LGBT+ communities, Pink News is a perfect starting point. The LGBT+ media outlet closely follows news around entertainment, politics and the arts, covering both UK and international stories. You can also receive regular updates by signing up to the Pink News email newsletter.

    Meanwhile, the Pink News Awards are set to be held in October this year with Amazon as headline sponsor. The event celebrates the brightest and best in LGBT+ equality, with last years winners including Ed Miliband, Will Young and the founders of Stonewall.

    We also love the hugely popular Homo Sapiens podcast, hosted by Will Young and Christopher Sweeney. Will and Chris also joined us at Petchey Academy in East London to launch the LGBT+ Reading Roadshow to share their own stories and experiences.

    Each week they invite inspirational people for tea, biscuits and conversation – focusing on the interests, challenges and personal stories of LGBT+ people around the world. As Will and Chris say themselves, “Homo Sapiens is Radio 4’s ‘Woman’s Hour’ for an LGBT+ audience”. Guests have included Claire Balding, Troye Sivan, Sam Smith and Russell T. Davies.

    LGBT+ reading roadshow - Will & Chris

Check out the podcast here and watch out for new episodes every Thursday.

  • PAGE OVERVIEW
  • 1
    Check out our LGBT+ Reading Roadshow curated book list
  • 2
    Engage with LGBT+ educational charity Just Like Us
  • 3
    Become a Stonewall School Champion
  • 4
    Get support from the LGBT Consortium and LGBT Foundation
  • 5
    Keep up to date with Pink News and Homo Sapiens