Defending Young Adult Queer Literature in the Classroom

            In "Criteria for the Selection of Young Adult Queer Literature," Logan, Lasswell, Hood, and Watson offer a list of what to look for when selecting a young adult work of queer literature. The list includes the following important characteristics that a teacher should be looking for in a work: curriculum relevance, literary merit, window and mirror experiences, lack of stereotypes, social justice/equity, pride/resiliency/self-actualization, sexual expressiveness, inclusion/diversity, and challenging heteronormativity. One text that fits the mold for the criteria mentioned in the article is Benjamin Alire Sáenz 's young adult novel Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, which is a novel that students could benefit from reading but might generally be ignored in a classroom setting. In creating a guideline for selecting young adult queer literature, the authors have given teachers a tool to help guide their decisions in selecting meaningful literature, and they have paved a way for young adult queer works like Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe to enter the classroom more easily.

            In the article, Logan, Lasswell, Hood, and Watson make the claim that the two criteria that are essential among all nine characteristics are curriculum relevance and literary merit (34). These two criteria are essential because they provide a valid justification to naysayers for why a teachers is using nontraditional texts, such as queer literature, in the classroom. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is not simply a book about two gay teenagers discovering their love for one another; the book is also a complex text that requires background knowledge. For instance, students' prior knowledge of the connection of the characters' names to the philosopher Aristotle and writer Dante Alighieri enhances the text and provides deeper levels of meaning. The book has also received many awards, which increases its literary merit. These are important aspects for not only selecting young adult queer literature but literature in general.

            The novel also beautifully takes on the issue of stereotypes, which is another important criteria listed in the article. The authors claim that it is important for educators to select a work that "influences healthy perceptions about sexual orientation and gender expression" and that "portrays multiple queer characters within supportive communities and families" (Logan et al. 33). Sáenz does this as he portrays two very supportive families who accept their children for who they are. For example, Ari's mother and father are very supportive and are even the ones who encourage Ari to recognize and admit to himself that he is in love with Dante (Saenz 348). When Ari asks his parents how they can love him so much, his mother responds, "How could I not love you? You're the most beautiful boy in the world" (Saenz 350). The book offers an atmosphere of acceptance, which goes beyond the stereotypical responses of parents who struggle to accept their children when they tell them about their sexuality.

            If a teacher decides to use a text in the classroom, especially a text that may deal with some controversial topics like Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, he or she should be prepared to defend his or her decision to teach the book based on certain standards that align with the standards of the overall institution. A parent or administrator who disagrees with some of the content of a book may be less responsive if the justification for teaching a book is simply to bring about awareness of an issue the teacher deems important. If other people disagree with its importance, the teacher might be accused of promoting some kind of political agenda, which is why having a list like the one found in "Criteria for the Selection of Young Adult Queer Literature" is so important. The criteria not only guides teachers to select texts that will serve their students well in the classroom, it also serves as a reminder and justification that young adult queer literature has value in the classroom.

 

Works Cited

Logan, Stephanie R., et al. "Criteria for the Selection of Young Adult Queer Literature." English            Journal 103.5 (2014): 30-41. Print.

Sáenz, Benjamin Alire. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe. New York:   Simon & Schuster, 2012. Print.