Banning The Book Melissa Alex Gino

Hello, my name is Nora Klinger. “Alex Gino wrote Melissa in response to an unfulfilled, youthful wish for a positive representation of a transgender person.” By banning this book you are giving a negative representation of a transgender person. In the book, Melissa Alex Gino tells a story about the life of a young girl named George who was born a boy but is a girl. Mechanicsburg Aria School District should provide students with the book Melissa in the middle school library. The book helps demonstrate to kids that it is ok for people to be different. The book gives support and reassurance to people who read it, that they can be who they are. The first reason the book Melisa shouldn't be banned is that the book gives support and reassurance to

Another way this is shown is that “Later Kelly, whom George has also confided, has an idea for how George can reveal her true identity.” (summary 2). George and Kelly make a plan to help her come out and show her true identity. George has good friends whom she can trust and feels safe around and trusts her friends. Others may argue that the book will make kids think they need to change, or make them think they should change. This could be true, but the book supports kids who might want to change who they are and not everyone would want to change, some people just read the book to read a story. This is the first reason I think Melisa shouldn't be banned. The second reason the book Melisa shouldn't be banned is that the book teaches kids and helps them understand that people can be different, one example of this as shown in the text is. “She and Kelly take a trip to the zoo with Kelly's uncle Bill, both dressed in typical girl's clothing. George, who introduces herself by her formal “private” name Melissa, is delighted and feels her real life is just beginning.” (summary 2). This shows kids that the LGBTQIA+ community can be accepted as normal in the world, and they shouldn't be