By Hal, Rainbow Services Librarian
Developing accurate and affirming language to name the parts of our bodies and understanding how bodies change as we age is an important skill for young people to learn. Not only is it a matter of physical health, but it also provides young people with better tools to advocate for themselves and set boundaries.
Unfortunately, in our education about bodies, we are often taught language that excludes transgender and intersex folks in our communities, particularly when we make binary distinctions about what “boys’ bodies” and “girls’ bodies” are supposed to look like.
Starting a conversation about bodies and puberty may feel intimidating and embarrassing, but you don’t have to do it alone! Find some resources to help below.
Titles to read
Discovery Kits to check out
- Anatomy Kit: Comes with a human body organ apron, Magic School Bus: Inside the Human Body, and What Makes a Baby?
- Frog Kit: This kit comes with a plush frog dissection kit. While this kit features a frog rather than a human, playing the frog dissection game can open a conversation about body parts. The dissectable organs inside the frog plush are organs humans have too.
- Playing with Pronouns: Comes with Playing with Pronouns game, They, She, He, Easy as ABC, and What Are Your Words?
Web resources to explore
- Every Body Curious: This web series, created and hosted by experts in sexual health education, introduces young people to topics including body image, puberty, and consent.
- The Gender Unicorn: This free tool is great for facilitating creative conversations about bodies, gender, and sex.
- interACT: Learn more about intersex identities through interACT, an advocacy organization for intersex youth. Their website is full of great resources, including videos of intersex folks sharing their stories.
- Queer Kid Stuff: This affirming web series includes fun and informative videos about identity, bodies, and consent.
About Hal
Hal is a children’s librarian who specializes in serving LGBTQ+ young people and their allies. He is passionate about identity exploration through collaborative storytelling and imaginative play.
