Queer writers in North America face increasing censorship, including having books with any kind of representations of queer families, children, and youth pulled from shelves and banned by school boards. Libraries face threats when hosting drag story hours and anti-SOGI (sexual orientation gender identity) platforms are being used to elect representatives to school boards and governments. In this timely and necessary panel, we will explore the queer spirit, joy, and determination needed to write queer stories for and featuring children and youth.
Location: Room C400, UBC Robson Square
Type: Panel, 2SLGBTQIA+ Programming
Moderator: Nicola Harwood, Guest 2SLGBTQIA+ Curator
Readers: Johnny Aitken, Two Tricksters Find Friendship (Orca Book Publishers) | Dave Deveau, CISSY: Three Gender Plays: Nelly Boy, My Funny Valentine, and Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls (Talonbooks) | Tanya Boteju, Messy Perfect (HarperCollins Canada)
About The Moderator
Nicola Harwood
Nicola Harwood is an interdisciplinary artist and writer. Their plays, performances and installation projects have been produced and exhibited in Canada, Europe and the US. Nicola often works in collaboration with other artists and has facilitated many art, writing and theatre projects in communities. They are grateful to live on the ancestral, unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, and səlilwətaɬ Nations also known as Vancouver, Canada.
About The Readers
Johnny Aitken
Elder Johnny Aitken, he/they, is a physical actor, writer, carver, filmmaker, activist, and educator. Johnny’s mixed ancestry includes Coast Salish, Scottish and Haida. Johnny, self identifies as a 2Spirit First Nations individual. Johnny is currently co-writing a series of children’s books with his friend and colleague Jessica Willows. Their first book, Two Tricksters Find Friendship is now available in most bookstores. Johnny considers himself a cross-cultural bridge builder, a lifetime occupation he takes very seriously with a lot of humour! Johnny most enjoys collaborating with members of the Settler community, creating stories that lead us all to a place of healing.
Dave Deveau
Dave Deveau (he/they) is a Vancouver-based award-winning writer and performer whose work has been produced across North America and in Europe. He is the Co-Artistic and Managing Director of Carousel Theatre for Young People and the Founding Associate Artistic Director of Zee Zee Theatre who have produced many of his plays including My Funny Valentine. Their TYA plays have had substantial life in Canada, USA, Israel, Poland, and Germany and include Out in the Open, tagged, Celestial Being, Ladies an Gentlemen, Boys and Girls and The Papa Penguin Play. He is currently working on a new TYA adaptation of A Christmas Carol looking at Influencer culture. Their work has been nominated for 4 Doras (including Outstanding Play for Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls) and 21 Jessies. He is currently raising his two glorious kids with his husband and collaborator Cameron Mackenzie.
Tanya Boteju
TANYA BOTEJU lives on unceded Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh land (Vancouver, BC). Part-time, she teaches English to clever, sassy young people. The rest of her time, she uses writing as an excuse to eat pastries. Her debut novel, Kings, Queens, and In-Betweens, was named a Top Ten Indie Next Pick by the American Booksellers Association, and her YA novels Bruised and Messy Perfect appear on the American Librarian Association’s Rainbow List. In 2026, look for Lake Life and Setting the Stage for Christmas. In both teaching and writing, Tanya hopes she’s bending the universe even the tiniest bit toward justice.
