EW: Chris Colfer reveals which character his new book A Tale of Sorcery... is openly gay — and why 's so important — THE LAND OF STORIES by Chris Colfer

Contents:

• CHRIS COLFER'S KIDS' BOOK A TALE OF MAGIC IS FIGHTG EX-GAY THERAPY
• CHRIS COLFER REVEALS WHICH CHARACTER HIS NEW BOOK A TALE OF SORCERY IS OPENLY GAY — AND WHY 'S SO IMPORTANT
• EW: CHRIS COLFER REVEALS WHICH CHARACTER HIS NEW BOOK A TALE OF SORCERY... IS OPENLY GAY — AND WHY 'S SO IMPORTANT

CHRIS COLFER'S KIDS' BOOK A TALE OF MAGIC IS FIGHTG EX-GAY THERAPY

It's very rare that a role like that to a young actor, pecially to a young, gay actor. Chris Colfer is renowned for his Goln Globe-wng performance as Kurt Hummel on Fox's Glee, where he helped brg the story and stggl of a gay teen to an ternatnal dience.

His latt book, A Tale of Magic..., which centers on people persecuted for practicg magic, "is an allegory for beg gay, " Colfer told The Advote a recent terview. A myster savr, Madame Weatherberry, rcu Brystal om tament and recs her on a missn to change the hearts and mds of the the followg terview, Colfer discs how antigay polics of the real world spired his magil allegory, which he lls a "manifto for passn. How do you thk fictn -- your novel particular -- n fight agast antigay forc like "ex-gay" therapy the real world?

For me, the magic A Tale of Magic is an allegory for beg gay. EW got an exclive look at A Tale of Sorcery, and spoke to Colfer about the potency of wrg an openly gay character a children's book.

CHRIS COLFER REVEALS WHICH CHARACTER HIS NEW BOOK A TALE OF SORCERY IS OPENLY GAY — AND WHY 'S SO IMPORTANT

" The Tale of Magic seri always explored acceptance and opprsn, and this is the first time my middle gra books that I have my first openly gay character. I have known sce the first time I ever nceived [Xantho] my head that I knew they were gay.

When I first started wrg, many people told me that I was makg a mistake bee the world wasn't ready to let their kids read a book by an openly gay man, so I really shied away om cludg any openly LGBT characters my first set of books bee I thought I was already fightg an uphill battle as was.

EW: CHRIS COLFER REVEALS WHICH CHARACTER HIS NEW BOOK A TALE OF SORCERY... IS OPENLY GAY — AND WHY 'S SO IMPORTANT

I actually reaed om g the word "gay" bee so many books get banned so many untri the mute you have the word "gay" the text. EW got an exclive look at A Tale of Sorcery…, and spoke to Colfer about the potency of wrg an openly gay character a children's THE ARTICLE →. Chris Colfer shot to fame for his Goln Globe-wng portrayal as openly gay untertenor Kurt Hummel on the Fox mil seri “Glee” — yet many of his fans know him only as a wrer.