THE HUMAN LIBRARY ALLOWS YOU TO BORROW A PERSON TO DISCUSS STEREOTYPES
We frequently make mistakes about people who are different from us because we don't know them well enough to comprehend their experiences. Human Library International encourages anyone to "borrow" people as "open books" in order to dispel people's stereotypes about stigmatized groups and establish a secure environment where people can have candid conversations with complete strangers.
The Human Library was established at the Danish Roskilde Festival in 2000, but the innovative idea has already expanded to 80 nations worldwide. Every event asks guests to "unjudge someone" by conversing with a variety of human "books" for 30 minutes. Neurodiversity, gender, faith, race, mental illness, handicap, sexual orientation, socioeconomic standing, and more are all represented in these willing living books.
The "books" at a recent Human Library event at Copenhagen's Reading Garden featured a polyamorous person, a person with schizophrenia, and a person with ADHD and autism. A transgender lady, a religious scientist, and a victim of political bullying were among the "Books of the Day" at another event in Perth, Australia. As long as the questions are polite, anyone can ask them anything at any occasion.
The ingenious project demonstrates the importance of "never judging a book by its cover." It is essential for dispelling myths and building relationships amongst people who might not have otherwise crossed paths.