Representation makes a difference, and nobody knows better than the queer trailblazers joining the "See Yourself, Be Yourself" panel hosted by Pride and Less Prejudice, an organization that since 2019 has provided "free, age-appropriate, LGBTQ-inclusive books to classrooms from pre-K to third grade in order to foster LGBTQ inclusivity and acceptance," according to a release.
Featured on the "See Yourself, Be Yourself" panel, airing Saturday at 2 p.m. Eastern, are Supergirl's Nicole Maines, Noah's Arc's Darryl Stephens, Theo Germaine of The Politician and Work in Progress, and Andrew Keenan-Bolger (Newsies). Tagg Magazine's editor in chief, Ebone Bell, is the moderator.
"[The panelists'] work playing LGBTQ characters on television, in movies, and on Broadway has been revolutionary and speaks to the importance of LGBTQ representation, which helps foster acceptance and inclusivity worldwide," PLP founder Lisa Forman said in a release.
A 30-minute Q&A will follow the Zoom panel, which is a fundraiser to help put LGBTQ+ books in the hands of kids. Tickets start at $20 with varying levels of support. Since PLP launched, it has raised "more than $20,000 and donated more than 1,200 books to classrooms across the United States and Canada," according to the release. The organization also recently received a $2,000 community grant from the Tegan and Sara Foundation to finance its work in Canada.
"Seeing characters whose experiences reflect our own affirms that our feelings are valid and that we too deserve to be loved," Stephens said in an earlier video for PLP's #ReadOutProud campaign.
Buy tickets for the panel and learn more about "See Yourself, Be Yourself" here.
