Information, Inclusivity, and Inquiry: Navigating LGBTQIA+ Resources and Safe Searching
Bailey “Bee” DeSimone
Chances are, this is not the first article you’ve come across this morning, and it won’t be the last. If you clicked on this link with an interest in learning – welcome! This is ideal. If you are skeptical about what you are about to learn, even better. We should – and deserve to be – critical of the billions of data we interact with daily. Information is constantly in our social periphery. So, how can we approach information with a critical eye, especially when it comes to LGBTQIA+ resources, and prioritize safe searching as we do?
The Importance of Inclusive Language
The development of healthy communities and successful research relies on language that most accurately represents a community’s values, known as inclusive language. It is described by the Linguistic Society of America as language that “acknowledges diversity, conveys respect to all people, is sensitive to differences, and promotes equal opportunities.” Using inclusive language ensures that a search will retrieve the most trustworthy resources related to LGBTQIA+ history, culture, and education. After all, who better to trust in finding an authentic learning experience than the members of the community themselves? When searching for resources, consider authority and voice in each item you find. Some helpful questions to ask yourself:
· What makes a source credible?
· Are there any gaps in the information?
· If so, where can we find the answers to those questions?
· Whose voices do we need to give us understanding of those experiences?
There are exceptions where a search might display a useful resource that uses one or more of these words. Language is often reclaimed by marginalized groups in efforts to empower the community, and the LGBTQIA+ community is no exception. Memoirs and personal historical accounts may include language that we understand to be outdated today. Some examples include Laura Jane Grace’s memoir, Tranny: Confessions of Punk Rock’s Most Infamous Anarchist Sellout, and Leslie Feinberg’s memoir, Stone Butch Blues.
Safe Search Practices
Now that we know what we are looking for and understand a bit more about the information systems that assist us during the process, we can decide what search engine is best for us. Safe search practices are especially important for the privacy of LGBTQIA+ folks. Shared technology, unsafe home environments, and other personal reasons might deter folks from further exploring their identities. In these cases, it is best to use encrypted search engines, or search engines that do not retain personal information – including location, search history, information from other websites, ad preferences, etc.
Here are a few safe search engines to practice with:
· Ecosia
· Dogpile
How do Librarians Help?
I also want to share the library perspective and acknowledge that library systems can certainly be more progressive in using inclusive language. For all library collection materials, print or digital, we collect metadata. Also known as “data about data,” metadata refers to the qualitative and quantitative descriptors of collection materials so that search engines and databases can retrieve the most accurate results when a search query is made, and then help researchers filter through those search results.
In the library, each item has a bibliographic record, and each bibliographic record contains title, author, and publication information, along with physical descriptors, language notes, and more. Catalog headings are also included. Many libraries offer guides, or LibGuides, as introductory research guides to subject-specific information. For example, the Library of Congress’s LGBTQIA+ Studies LibGuide helps researchers search by subject heading. Some catalog headings are not up to date with inclusive language. #Critcat is a collective devoted to improving the standards of authority headings in catalog records to reflect accurate, inclusive language. On a local level, this is a great way to start conversations with your colleagues in education and library organizations.
As you learn, it’s natural to have questions. As your librarian for the day, I encourage you to ask those questions (respectfully, of course), seek information, and enjoy the new connections with your community members that will result. I hope you found this read worthwhile and informative. The first step towards a new learning experience is the simple acknowledgement: “I don’t know.”
About the Author: Bailey “Bee” DeSimone (she/her) is a queer librarian, artist, and poet passionate about keeping communities informed. She is a soon-to-be graduate of the University of Maryland at College Park’s College of Information Studies with a concentration in legal informatics. She currently works for the Law Library of Congress as a Metadata Technician, where she likes to share her collection discoveries in blogs and Story Maps. One day, she hopes to assist law libraries with the implementation of long-term solutions to access to justice issues across the world. In her moments of free time, she enjoys hiking, creating art, and frequenting tea shops. You can find her on Twitter at @librar_bee and StoryGraph at @hey_itsbee.
