Pride Month is commemorated each year in the month of June to honor the 1969 Stonewall riots in New York City. In June of 1969, patrons and supporters of the Stonewall Inn staged an uprising to resist the police harassment and persecution to which LGBTQ Americans were commonly subjected. This uprising marked the beginning of a movement to outlaw discriminatory laws and practices against LGBTQ Americans. Today, LGBTQ Pride Month celebrations include pride parades, picnics, parties, workshops, symposia and concerts, attracting millions of participants around the world.

In schools and classrooms, Pride Month is an excellent time to talk with students about LGBTQ people and their struggles to achieve equity and justice in all aspects of their lives. It is an opportunity to learn about important LGBTQ people in history, read literature that features LGBTQ people, analyze heterosexism and explore its causes and solutions. As with other similarly themed months, it is important not to isolate the exploration of LGBTQ people and culture into one month during the year. LGBTQ history is U.S. history and should be integrated into the curriculum throughout the school year. 

Description from:

“LGBTQ Pride Month and Education Resources.” Anti-Defamation League, www.adl.org/education/resources/tools-and-strategies/lgbtq-pride-month-and-education-resources.

Just Queer Folks by Colin R. Johnson

Call Number: 306.766 J665j 2013

Publication Date: 2013-06-14

aMost studies of lesbian and gay history focus on urban environments. Yet gender and sexual diversity were anything but rare in nonmetropolitan areas in the first half of the twentieth century. "Just Queer Folks "explores the seldom-discussed history of same-sex intimacy and gender nonconformity in rural and small-town America during a period when the now familiar concepts of heterosexuality and homosexuality were just beginning to take shape.a Eschewing the notion that identity is always the best measure of what can be known about gender and sexuality, Colin R. Johnson argues instead for a queer historicist approach. In so doing, he uncovers a startlingly unruly rural past in which small-town eccentrics, mannish farm women, and cross-dressing Civilian Conservation Corps enrollees were often just queer folks so far as their neighbors were concerned. Written with wit and verve, " Just Queer Folks "upsets a whole host of contemporary commonplaces, including the notion that queer history is always urban history.

 

Understanding Asexuality by Anthony F. Bogaert

Call Number: 305.8 B674u 2015

Publication Date: 2015-03-06

Asexuality can be defined as an enduring lack of sexual attraction. Thus, asexual individuals do not find (and perhaps never have) others sexually appealing. Some consider "asexuality" as a fourth category of sexual orientation, distinct from heterosexuality, homosexuality, or bisexuality. However, there is also recent evidence that the label "asexual" may be used in a broader way than merely as "a lack of sexual attraction." People who say they have sexual attraction to others, but indicate little or no desire for sexual activity are also self-identifying as asexual. Distinct from celibacy, which refers to sexual abstinence by choice where sexual attraction and desire may still be present, asexuality is experienced by those having a lack or sexual attraction or a lack of sexual desire. More and more, those who identify as asexual are "coming out," joining up, and forging a common identity. The time is right for a better understanding of this sexual orientation, written by an expert in the field who has conducted studies on asexuality and who has provided important contributions to understanding asexuality. This timely resource will be one of the first books written on the topic for general readers, and the first to look at the historical, biological, and social aspects of asexuality. It includes firsthand accounts throughout from people who identify as asexual. The study of asexuality, as it contrasts so clearly with sexuality, also holds up a lens and reveals clues to the mystery of sexuality.

Modern Homosexualities by Ken Plummer (Editor)

Call Number: 305.906 M689 1992

Publication Date: 1992-11-17

This book of nineteen original essays by activists and academics documents and analyses the dramatic changes in lesbian and gay experience over the last twenty years. It charts the growth of lesbian and gay studies, and examines key issues around communitites, identities, relationships, sexualities and politics. These essays, edited by a leading author in the field, herald a new confidence and maturity for the growing field of lesbian and gay studies.

 

Queer (In)Justice by Andrea Ritchie; Joey Mogul; Kay Whitlock

Call Number: 342.73 M696q 2011

Publication Date: 2011-02-15

A groundbreaking work that turns a "queer eye" on the criminal legal system, and winner of the2011 PASS (Prevention for a Safer Society) Award from the National Council on Crime and Delinquency Drawing on years of research, activism, and legal advocacy, Queer (In)Justiceis a searing examination of queer experiences--as "suspects," defendants, prisoners, and survivors of crime. The authors unpack queer criminal archetypes--like "gleeful gay killers," "lethal lesbians," "disease spreaders," and "deceptive gender benders"--to illustrate the punishment of queer expression, regardless of whether a crime was ever committed. Tracing stories from the streets to the bench to behind prison bars, the authors prove that the policing of sex and gender both bolsters and reinforces racial and gender inequalities. A groundbreaking work that turns a "queer eye" on the criminal legal system, Queer (In)Justiceilluminates and challenges the many ways in which queer lives are criminalized, policed, and punished.

1 in 4 people in the world will be affected by mental or neurological disorders at some point in their lives. 1 in 5 adults in America experience a mental illness.Nearly 1 in 25 (10 million) adults in America live with a serious mental illness.One-half of all chronic mental illness begins by the age of 14; three-quarters by the age of 24.Approximately 10.2 million adults have co-occurring mental health and addiction disorders. Nearly 450 million people worldwide are currently living with a mental illness, yet nearly two thirds of people with a known mental illness never seek treatment. 

May is mental health awareness month. Although mental health awareness is and should be promoted every day, this gives mental health the opportunity to have a specific platform to spread the word. It  is an opportunity to raise awareness of psychological health concerns and conditions and promote increased access to care and treatment. 

Description:

“We Offer Customization Specific to Your Needs.” AssessURhealth, assessurhealth.com/mental-health-awareness-month-2018/.

“Mental Health Awareness Month – May 2020.” Psychological Health Center of Excellence, www.pdhealth.mil/resource-center/mental-health-awareness-month-may-2020.

Undercurrents by Martha Manning

Call Number: 616.852 M284u 1994

The true-life story of a psychotherapist who suffered clinical depression and agreed eventually to undergo electro shock therapy. The book through humorous, heartbreaking and harrowing diary entries lays bare the depths and dimension of severe clinical depression.

Critical Issues in School-Based Mental Health by Melissa K. Holt (Editor); Amie E. Grills (Editor)

Call Number: 371.713 C934 2016

Publication Date: 2015-12-08

A Choice Magazine Outstanding Academic Title of 2017! School-based mental health professionals intervene daily to address a variety of student mental health concerns. From challenges that arise in the educational context to those carried over from home, from managing daily care to handling emergent traumatic events, they must be prepared for an extremely varied work life. While some of the most common issues recur with such frequency that they may seem straightforward to address, others crop up with changing student populations. Each chapter in this volume addresses a different key topic, giving current and future professionals an overview of the most recent scholarship on the topic, and then outlining evidence-based interventions. With chapters on learning disabilities, substance abuse, bullying, internalizing and externalizing behaviors, trauma, LGBT youth and more, this book prepares school-based mental health professionals to face some of the most difficult, common, and politicized issues affecting students today.

Physical Activity and Mental Health by Angela Clow (Editor); Sarah Edmunds (Editor)

Call Number: 615.82 P578 2014

With contributions from internationally renowned experts, Physical Activity and Mental Health presents research illustrating how the use of physical activity can enhance well-being and reduce the impact of potentially debilitating mental health conditions. Written for students, researchers, and professionals in exercise science, fitness, and health care fields, Physical Activity and Mental Health details the factors that influence the relationship between mental health and physical activity as well as the benefits of physical activity in dealing with mental illnesses such as Alzheimer's disease, depression, schizophrenia, and addictive behaviors. Readers will learn how promotion of physical activity can lead to a greater sense of well-being or act as a medical intervention. Exercise readiness checklists, mental health checklists, and population-specific sample activity plans assist in creating and implementing exercise programs to meet the needs of patients or clients. Physical Activity and Mental Health begins with an exploration of the brain systems that are affected by physical activity and how these affect mental well-being. 

Coming to Our Senses by Jon Kabat-Zinn

Call Number: 158.12 K112c 2005

Come to your senses with the definitive guide to living a meaningful life from a world expert in the connection between mindfulness and physical and spiritual wellbeing. "[The] journey toward health and sanity is nothing less than an invitation to wake up to the fullness of our lives as if they actually mattered . . ." --Jon Kabat-Zinn, from the Introduction Jon Kabat-Zinn changed the way we thought about awareness in everyday life with his now-classic introduction to mindfulness, Wherever You Go, There You Are. Now, with Coming to Our Senses, he provides the definitive book for our time on the connection between mindfulness and our physical and spiritual wellbeing. With scientific rigor, poetic deftness, and compelling personal stories, Jon Kabat-Zinn examines the mysteries and marvels of our minds and bodies, describing simple, intuitive ways in which we can come to a deeper understanding, through our senses, of our beauty, our genius, and our life path in a complicated, fear-driven, and rapidly changing world.

The Brain's Way of Healing by Norman Doidge

Call Number: 612.8 D657br 2015

The New York Times bestselling author of The Brain That Changes Itself presents astounding advances in the treatment of brain injury and illness In The Brain That Changes Itself, Norman Doidge described the most important breakthrough in our understanding of the brain in four hundred years: the discovery that the brain can change its own structure and function in response to mental experience, what we call neuroplasticity. His revolutionary new book shows, for the first time, how the amazing process of neuroplastic healing really works. It describes natural, non-invasive avenues into the brain provided by the forms of energy around us: light, sound, vibration, movement which pass through our senses and our bodies to awaken the brain’s own healing capacities without producing unpleasant side effects. Doidge explores cases where patients alleviated years of chronic pain or recovered from debilitating strokes or accidents; children on the autistic spectrum or with learning disorders normalizing; symptoms of multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and cerebral palsy radically improved, and other near-miracle recoveries. And we learn how to vastly reduce the risk of dementia with simple approaches anyone can use. For centuries it was believed that the brain’s complexity prevented recovery from damage or disease. The Brain’s Way of Healing shows that this very sophistication is the source of a unique kind of healing. As he did so lucidly in The Brain That Changes Itself, Doidge uses stories to present cutting-edge science with practical real-world applications, and principles that everyone can apply to improve their brain’s performance and health.

August's reference book of the month is The Encyclopedia of Foods. The following description is from amazon.com: 

The Encyclopedia of Foods: A Guide to Healthy Nutrition is a definitive resource for what to eat for maximum health as detailed by medical and nutritional experts. This book makes the connection between health, disease, and the food we eat.The Encyclopedia describes more than 140 foods, providing information on their history, nutrient content, and medical uses.The Encyclopedia also describes the "fit kitchen", including the latest in food safety, equipment and utensils for preparing fit foods, and ways to modify favorite recipes to ensure health and taste.

• Details healthy eating guidelines based on the RDA food pyramid
• Provides scientific basis and knowledge for specific recommendations
• Beautifully illustrated
• Extensive list of reliable nutrition resources
• Describes the fit kitchen from the latest in food safety to equipment and utensils for preparing fit foods to ways to modify favorite recipes to ensure health and taste.

Recommended for anyone taking courses on health and food as well as for Child and Family Studies Majors.

Unique of this book: The book was prepared by medical and nutrition experts from Mayo Clinic, University of California Los Angeles, and Dole Food Company, Inc.

Encyclopedia of Foods by Mayo Clinic Staff (Editor); University of California, Los Angeles Staff (Editor); Dole Food Company, Inc. Staff (Editor); Experts from UCLA Center for Human Staff (Editor)

Call Number: 613.2 E56

Publication Date: 2001

May's reference book of the month is Catherine Donnelly's The Oxford Companion to Cheese. The following description is from amazon.com: 

The Oxford Companion to Cheese is the first major reference work dedicated to cheese, containing 855 A-Z entries on cheese history, culture, science, and production. From cottage cheese to Camembert, from Gorgonzola to Gruyère, there are entries on all of the major cheese varieties globally, but also many cheeses that are not well known outside of their region of production. The concentrated whey cheeses popular in Norway, brunost, are covered here, as are the traditional Turkish and Iranian cheeses that are ripened in casings prepared from sheep's or goat's skin. There are entries on animal species whose milk is commonly (cow, goat, sheep) and not so commonly (think yak, camel, and reindeer) used in cheesemaking, as well as entries on a few highly important breeds within each species, such as the Nubian goat or the Holstein cow. Regional entries on places with a strong history of cheese production, biographies of influential cheesemakers, innovative and influential cheese shops, and historical entries on topics like manorial cheesemaking and cheese in children's literature round out the Companion's eclectic cultural coverage.

Recommended for anyone taking courses about the history of food and students of Child and Family Studies.

Fun fact: This book includes an appendix which list cheese museums around the world!

The Oxford Companion to Cheese by Catherine Donnelly (Editor); Mateo Kehler (Foreword by)

Call Number: 637.303 O983 2016 - Reference area

Publication Date: 2016

The discovery of cheese is a narrative at least 8,000 years old, dating back to the Neolithic era. Yet, after all of these thousands of years we are still finding new ways to combine the same four basic ingredients - milk, bacteria, salt, and enzymes - into new and exciting products with vastly different shapes, sizes, and colors, and equally complex and varied tastes, textures, and, yes, aromas. In fact, after a long period of industrialized, processed, and standardized cheese, cheesemakers, cheesemongers, affineurs, and most of all consumers are rediscovering the endless variety of cheeses across cultures.

The CFS 207 Class (Family Relations) will host a table the Clothesline Project at the library for students and community to decorate shirts as part of raising awareness about violence against women. The shirts will be then hung in a clothesline at the library through the end of September.

"The Clothesline Project (CLP) is a program started on Cape Cod, MA, in 1990 to address the issue of violence against women. It is a vehicle for women affected by violence to express their emotions by decorating a shirt. They then hang the shirt on a clothesline to be viewed by others as testimony to the problem of violence against women. With the support of many, it has since spread world-wide."

To learn more, you can visit the project's website http://www.clotheslineproject.org/.

See below students creating some of the  t-shirts which  are on display at the library this week through end of September. You can also view other shirts throughout campus.