A very late round of applause

I haven't really said this out loud but I am SO HAPPY the ALA took a chance and invited Dan Savage to deliver the opening keynote speech at annual conference. A sex columnist and gay rights activist might not seem a likely candidate for a big talk for a bunch of librarians but I for one applaud their choice.
As someone who has worked on the front lines with kids and teens I get how important it for young people to find characters they identify with in the literature they read. At a time when they are feel like no one 'gets' them and that they are so different from their parents, great stories with strong characters can create a safe haven for those who feel they are on the fringe.

Dan discussed the “subversiveness that librarians have,” he said, “making information available to people can put you in a high-fire position, because there are other people out there who do not want everyone to have access to the facts or the information they need.”

Well said Dan.
And well done ALA for the choice.
And just in case you've missed the 'It Gets Better' vid with authors and illustrators have a watch:



-AB