Notas del episodio
In this episode of The Good Book Life, host Donna Scott is joined by poet Paul Giffney, journalist Peter Ray Allison, and authors Melanie Bell and Laura Jane Round for a powerful, wide‑ranging conversation about the growing trend of removing Pride and LGBTQI+ displays from UK libraries. Sparked by recent actions from Reform-led councils in Staffordshire, Warwickshire, and Kent, the panel explores what these decisions mean for representation, public duty, and the future of free access to information.
The Libraries and Museums Act 1964, equality duties, and why removing LGBTQI displays is discriminatory.
Why representation in libraries matters for young people, families, and community safety.
The rise of US‑style book bans in UK schools and councils.
The role of writers, poets, and journalists in resisting erasure.
The impact of online hate and unchecked comment sections. How library users and allies can advocate, organise, and stay visible.
Recommendations for queer books, authors, and community initiatives.
Featuring: Peter Ray Allison — journalist, author, co‑founder of Mythic Echoes
Melanie Bell — Canadian‑British author of Chasing Harmony, Dream Signs, and The Heart Decided to Move
Paul Giffney — The Purple Pen Poet and workshop facilitator, author of If Silence Is Golden
Laura Jane Round — bisexual writer from the West Midlands, playwright and poet