Reading is one of the most powerful ways to model inclusion and nurture empathy. Welcoming Schools created the Book of the Month series to foster compassionate dialogue and elevate joyful stories of authentic LGBTQ+ lives, building monthly engagement and momentum leading up to our National Day of Reading each February.
This month, we’re reading “Edie for Equality: Edie Windsor Stands Up for Love” by Michael Genhart. Growing up, Edie Windsor liked to follow the rules. She loved math because numbers always added up and equal meant equal. As an adult, Edie fell in love with Thea Spyer. They built a life together filled with dancing, traveling the world, cooking meals, and swimming by the seashore. At the time, Edie and Thea could not marry in New York so they traveled to Canada to get married. Just two years later, Thea passed away. The U.S. government did not recognize their marriage and required Edie to pay taxes on the money Thea left her. Edie decided it was time to be bold. She sued the U.S. government and took her fight for equality all the way to the Supreme Court. Edie for Equality tells the true story of Edie and Thea’s love and how one woman’s decision to stand up for what was fair helped change history.
See the full list of highlighted books and their accompanying discussion guides in both English and Spanish at https://welcomingschools.org/resources/book-of-the-month.
This story is brought to you by Rosedale Health and Wellness and Dudley’s Place.
