There have always gay writers and artists. But for much of modern history, their most personal stories have been left at the margins.
"Quite frankly, the drive to erase us is very real. So that means the resistance has to be real," says novelist Elaine Castillo.
"I loved books because I was deeply invested in books," Castillo said. But she noted that even her favorite books were at best imperfect mirrors, rarely reflecting the reality of her experience in their pages. It is something she looks to correct as a published author. Castillo says she's deeply troubled by recent efforts in other states to ban LGBTQ books or bar them from becoming part of school curriculum. It's a concern shared by Gabrielle Antolovich, President of the Board of the Billy DeFrank Center in San Jose.