My first exhibit as a Dewey editor was dedicated to providing greater access to LGBT resources in the DDC schedules and tables, which is just as exciting (and complex!) as it sounds!
The exhibit was precipitated by the recognition that while the DDC has separate classifications for heterosexuality, homosexuality, bisexuality, and transgender identity, there was no clear place for interdisciplinary resources about the LGBT community as a whole. It seemed clear that the best place for that was 306.76 Sexual orientation, transgender identity, intersexuality, but the devil was in the details: which permutations of the LGBT acronyms should be added? What other terms were important to include? It was a great opportunity to learn some of the ins and outs of the Dewey editorial rules.
With the help of the other editors I decided on a new class-here note at 306.76: “Class here interdisciplinary works on LGBT identity (Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender identity),” along with Relative Index terms for LGBTQ identity and GLBT identity which give keyword access to these common variants. I also added a new note to T1--0866 People by sexual orientation: “Class here comprehensive works on LGBT people,” so that notation is now available for works about LGBT people which are classed throughout the schedules.
While I was working in this area, it was a good opportunity to update terminology that is no longer frequently used or has shifted meaning to become derogatory. Other changes made:
- replacing Transgenderism with Transgender identity
- replacing Transgenderists with Transgender people
- removing Transgendered people
- adding provisions for classing works about Gender nonconformity and Gender nonconforming people at 306.768 Transgender identity and intersexuality, T1--0867 Transgender people and intersex people, and other places in the schedules
- adding Relative Index terms for Queer identity at 306.76 and Queer people at T1--0866.
- adding Relative Index term for Gender minorities at 306.768
- removing note at 306.768 “Class practices associated with transgenderism and intersexuality in 306.77”
Find full explanations of the changes in the text of the exhibit: EPC 141-S30.2.
The Editorial Policy Committee agreed with the proposals I had suggested in the exhibit and approved the changes, which are now live. But they also pointed out that the resources I had consulted were too U.S.-centric, and that I should investigate whether there was other terminology used in English-speaking countries to refer to people on the gender & sexuality spectrums. I was glad for the feedback! I’m now working on researching potential candidates for inclusion; I would be grateful for suggestions from Dewey users in non-U.S. English-speaking countries about gender/sexuality terms being used in published works. Feel free to leave a comment below or email us at dewey@oclc.org.
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