Please ensure that books by LGBTQIA+ authors, and books that include descriptions of the LGBTQIA experience, are part of the VA DOE curriculum. Reading books by and about people who may not be like us gives us healthier, more empathetic, and kinder worldviews. Furthermore, having their experiences represented protects LGBTQIA+ youth by enabling them to explore their loved experiences in a safe space and ensuring them that they are normal, loved, and accepted.