2024 Middle School Summer Reading Bingo

LGBTQIA+ is a way to talk about different kinds of people and their identities. Let's break it down:

• L: Stands for Lesbian, which is a girl who is romantically or attracted to other girls.
• G: Stands for Gay, which is a boy who is romantically or attracted to other boys.
• B: Stands for Bisexual, which means someone who is attracted to both boys and girls.
• T: Stands for Transgender, which is when someone's gender identity doesn't match the sex they were assigned at birth. For example, someone who was assigned female at birth but identifies as a boy.
• Q: Stands for Queer or Questioning. Queer is a term that can be used for anyone who doesn't fit into traditional categories of gender and sexuality. Questioning means someone who is still figuring out their own identity.
• I: Stands for Intersex, which means someone who is born with physical characteristics that don't fit typical definitions of male or female.
• A: Stands for Asexual or Ally. Asexual means someone who doesn't experience sexual attraction to others. An ally is someone who supports and stands up for LGBTQIA people.

The addition of the "+" sign at the end of LGBTQIA+ acknowledges that there are identities beyond those specifically represented by the letters in the acronym. It's a way of being inclusive of all identities within the diverse spectrum of gender, sexuality, and romantic orientations. The plus sign represents the understanding that there are many more identities and experiences that may not be explicitly named but are still valid and deserving of recognition and respect.

There are books by LGBTQIA+ authors featured in other parts of the bingo board. In addition, many of these books can also count for another square.