Arcadia Public Library

Rene Portland had three training rules during her 26 years coaching basketball at Pennsylvania State University - no drinking, no drugs and no lesbians. Training Rules, examines how a wealthy athletic department, enabled by the silence of a complacent university, allowed talented athletes, thought to be gay, to be dismissed from their college team. In 2006, student athlete Jennifer Harris, in conjunction with the National Center for Lesbian Rights,...

A nine-year-old boy's preening obsession with straightening his hair elicits a tidal wave of homophobic panic in his hard-working mother, in this tender but clear-eyed coming-of-age tale. Junior is a beautiful boy, with big brown eyes, a delicate frame, and a head of luxurious dark curls. But Junior aches to straighten those curls, to acquire a whole new look befitting his emerging fantasy image of himself as a long-haired singer. As the opportunity...

Speak Up! challenges the discrimination, harassment, and violence that result from homophobia - breaking the silence surrounding issues of sexual identity, and inspiring students to speak up against injustice and change the climate of their schools.

"Raising LGBTQ Allies is the first book to focus on the prevention of homophobia, transphobia, and bullying before they begin. It encourages families to have open and authentic conversations in a practical, timely, and inclusive way. It also creates a dialogue with parents around the possibility they may have an LGBTQ child"--

Examining the complicated relationships between schools, religion, and human rights, Equality U is a feature-length documentary following a group of 33 young activists on the Soulforce Equality Ride, a first of its kind, two-month, cross-country tour to confront anti-gay discrimination policies at 19 conservative religious and military colleges. Against the backdrop of the Equality Ride, the film focuses on seven of the 'Equality Riders' and two courageous...

It is summer in Phoenix, and seventeen-year-old Maximo offers to help Jordan, a fellow student in high school, with the food truck that belonged to Jordan's deceased father, and which may be the only thing standing between homelessness for Jordan and his mom; the boys are strongly attracted to each other, but as their romance develops, it is threatened by the secrets they are hiding--and by the racism and homophobia of those around them.

In October 1998, Wyoming college student Matthew Shepard was brutally beaten and left to die. The horror of this murder pushed Laramie into the media spotlight and sparked a nationwide debate about homophobia, gay-bashing and hate crimes. Filmmaker Beverly Seckinger, who grew up in Laramie, was compelled to return to her hometown to see how this event had altered the site of her own closeted adolescence. Along the way she meets "God-hates-fags" Westboro...

Two competing lawyer join forces to sue a prestigious law firm for AIDS discrimination. As their unlikely friendship develops, their courage overcomes the prejudice and corruption of their powerful adversaries.

"The inspiring story of Angeline Jackson, who stood up to Jamaica's oppression of queer youth to demand recognition and justice. When Angeline Jackson was a child, she wondered if there was something wrong with her for wanting to kiss the other girls. But as her sexuality blossomed in her teens, she knew she wouldn't "grow out of it" and that her attraction to girls wasn't against God. In fact, she discovered that same-sex relationships were depicted...

"Joel's new job at the video store is just what the therapist ordered. But what happens if the first true friend he's made in years finds out about What Was Wrong With Him? Seventeen-year-old Joel Teague has a new prescription from his therapist--a part-time job--the first step toward the elusive Normal life he's been so desperate to live ever since The Bad Thing happened. Lucky for Joel, ROYO Video is hiring. It's the perfect fresh start--Joel even...