Teaching Queer Themes Through Children's Literature

This chapter attempts to explore the challenges faced by queer children in the education ecosystem while examining an evolving portrayal of gender as well as LGBTQIA+ identities in storybooks for young adults. Although it is impossible to judge childhood by the matrix of age alone, the term ‘young adults’ according to definitions of most publishing heads translates tentatively to the age group between 12–18 years. This chapter also aims to explore how these representations can be leveraged as Teaching and Learning Resources (TLRs) to foster inclusive classroom discussions. The chapter further discusses the recent publications for young adults in India, quantifies the inclusion of queer themes, and underscores the gaps in portraying the third gender in stories for young adults.