|
(Malmoe, Sweden) A library in a small community
in southern Sweden has started a novel program to promote diversity and break
down stereotypes.
In addition of borrowing books on different
cultures the Malmoe Library is now offering people. The
living library project is called ‘Borrow a Bias’. It allows townsfolk
to borrow any of nine different minority people. Borrowers have 45 minutes
to confront the prejudices in the library’s outdoor cafe. “You
sometimes hear people’s prejudices and you realize that they are just
uninformed,” said Ulla Brohed, the chief librarian and the person who
conceived the idea. The group includes a
lesbian, a gay, an imam, a Muslim woman, a journalist, an animal rights
advocate, a Dane, and a Romany or Gypsy and one other to announced later. Although
Sweden has civil rights protections for gays and recognizes same-sex couples
with partner rights many Swedes, especially in smaller communities, have little
knowledge of gay issues including the desire to marry and adopt
children.
“It’s a fun idea. Prejudice is something you have when you don’t know each
other. If you confront each other, then the prejudice is broken down,” said Lilian
Simonsen, the Dane who will be on loan. A
similar project is already underway in Copenhagen, Denmark.
©365Gay.com 2005
|
