Lands of Rainbows: Youth Literature and a Call For Holistic Queer Representation in Cork

Abstract

This thesis explores interactions with queer representation in literature for children and teenagers in Cork, Ireland. Recent far-right protests and library harassment in Cork reflect larger anti-LGBTQ+ political trends which accuse queer representation of corrupting children. In this context, ethnographic research with the Cork Rainbow Library, a creative workshop for LGBTQ+ youth, and Cork library story times emphasizes a desire for the holistic representation of queer identities, where sexuality is only one aspect of life’s complexity. Ultimately, the ethnographic call for holistic queer representation within the context of far-right protests underlines the necessity of elevating the voices of queer youth.