the myth of boy books & girl books
TRANSCRIPT
The Myth ofBoy Books & Girl
BooksBrown Bag It | September 2015
Amy Koester, Learning Experiences
Question:What makes a book
a “boy book” ora “girl book”?
Answer:Marketing.
The library’s goal:
Expand readers’ worlds and empathy through books.
Marketing’s goal:
Tell you who you are so they can sell you something “perfect for you.”
Coverflip, Huffington Post, 5/7/13
#coverflip
Coverflip, Huffington Post, 5/7/13
#coverflip
Coverflip, Huffington Post, 5/7/13
#coverflip
Coverflip, Huffington Post, 5/7/13
#coverflip
Bad news: Sexism is systemic.
When we play into the boy books and girl books myth, we’re part of the
problem.
What’s the harm to boys?
CC BY 2.0 Flickr User JD Hancock
CC BY 2.0 Flickr User JD Hancock
What’s the harm to girls?
CC BY 2.0 Flickr User JD Hancock
CC BY 2.0 Flickr User JD Hancock
“Systemic” means it’s on us to make
change happen. So what should we do?
When asked “Where are the boy books?”…• Gently state that we don’t have boy books
and girl books. We just have books.• And believe it. Stop ascribing gender.
When asked for a readalike…• Focus on themes and topics.• Offer a range of options based on what
you’ve learned from the reader, not on assumptions.
When asked for a reading recommendation…• Describe themes and topics.• Check your language; ask yourself if you
would describe a male character/author in the same way you’re about to describe a female character/author.
To sum up:Stop talking about
books as for boys or for girls.
CC BY-SA 2.0 Flickr User Wendy
Now let’s chat.