As the religious right’s frustration over marriage equality rages on, it’s no surprise they’re moving the fight somewhere — anywhere — other than the courts, sensing a losing battle there. Now it seems even the children’s section at the public library isn’t safe.
Over in Hood County, TX, our favorite summertime hellhole, they’re having their hate cake and eating it, too.
Last week Hood County clerk Katie Lang made national news when she joined the band of Christian superheroes sent to Earth by Jesus himself to obstruct justice and illegally prevent gay couples from tying the knot. Way to selectively read that Bible of yours, Katie.
But why stop there? Hood County residents have now taken up the charge of book banning in an attempt to make it known that gay is not OK.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
The insidious subversions in question are two titles in the children’s section of the county library — This Day in June, a picture book about a pride parade, and My Princess Boy, the story of a boy who likes to wears dresses.
They have the audacity to promote things like inclusiveness, anti-bullying and acceptance. Or as a group of local parents put it, “perversion” and the “gay lifestyle.”
But as much as we could rag on Hood County, there are people like librarian Courtney Kincaid living there giving us hope.
“They’re very sweet books about acceptance, tolerance and anti-bullying,” she told an advisory board at a public hearing to consider removing the books. “[They] are both aimed at helping children understand the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. Lesbians and gays are in this community, and they deserve to have some items in this collection.”
Granbury resident Dave Eagle complained the books are about “transvestic behavior” and “program children with the LGBT agenda,” telling the board, “This is information that hits a child’s eyes and goes into their brains before they have a chance to make a decision about it. As adults we have a duty to protect children’s innocence.”
Won’t someone think of the children?!
In the end Kincaid got her wish and the board voted to keep the books, though they promised to move This Day in June to the adult section.
By the sound of it, the adults of Hood County need it more than the kids.
H/t: TNCRM
Ladbrook
It’s beyond sad to learn that in 2015 there are still parents out there who think a book (!!) has the voodoo power to turn a child gay or trans. This is the kind of crap Anita Bryant was screaming back in 1970’s Florida. It’s insane.
Mack
Face it, the extreme right wingers (Texans) only believe in Freedom of Speech when it’s their speech. Nobody else has that right. They think Freedom of Religion only pertains to their right to shove religion down your throat and you can’t say anything about it. If you don’t want to read the effing books-DON’T CHECK THEM OUT. I thought banning books went out with the 50’s but all things considered they’re still living in the 50’s.
Giancarlo85
Where is alienturd and the other right wing trolls on here to defend the parents here? I agree with mack. The extreme right wing only thinks they deserve freedom of speech. However if it is a book they disagree with, they’d proudly burn it like Hitler did.
Terry Purdue
I’m glad for this. I’m tired of people acting as if children should be sheltered from us as if we’re dangerous
AtticusBennett
but those books might make gay kids love themselves! if they love themselves their parents won’t be able to drive them to suicide! which…apparently, its a problem for those parents.
Bad Ass Biker
@Mack: Mack, wish I could upvote you for your comment. And the sad fact is that probably most of the parents protesting these books have not read them. But then it is the same with their buy-bull; “I haven’t read it, but I know what is in there…..”
jwtraveler
“By the sound of it, the adults of Hood County need it more than the kids.”
That says it all.
jwtraveler
The biggest problem with all these ignorant asses who always want to “protect the children” is their inability or refusal to comprehend that homosexuality is not a contagious disease.
The greatest value of these books is not that they teach children tolerance and acceptance of others (though that is important). The greatest value is that they teach gay children to accept themselves.
Those Christian idiots refuse to accept that their gay kids will be gay no matter what outside influences they’re exposed to. Frankly a lot of liberal, educated and non-Christian parents have trouble accepting that as well.
ParisNat
Do you think she ought to get the Congress Medal, then?
DimAsAnEmber
Good for her. I’m glad she was able to protect the children as much as the parents believe they are. Teaching acceptance is never wrong, and if the parents don’t like it, they can always check out another book.
msfrost
“Won’t someone think of the children?!”
Unless they are LGBT.
polarisfashion
Can you imagine the outcry if the LGBTQ staged a burning of Bibles or any other Christian texts? The conservatives love to dish out their hate for anything LGBTQ related but cry foul when we say anything about tolerance and equal rights. God forbid we teach our kids to love themselves and other people that are different than they are.
BlueDude
Texans, yet again. My guess is it’ll well into the 22nd Century before they get over anything LGBT, if then. They’ve been “remembering the Alamo” going on 200 years.
gaym50ish
Books like “My Two Mommies,” “Daddy’s Roommate” and “Uncle Bobby’s Wedding” have always been the primary targets of book-banning parents who want to “protect” their children from the real world. So the kids don’t learn anything about what it means to be gay, and they become the thugs who bully the gay kids. They grow up to be just like their homophobic parents.
Part of the problem is that parents think anything written about homosexuality involves sex, which would not be appropriate for little kids. They wouldn’t think that about “Cinderella,” but they think that about “Daddy’s Roommate.”
This is from a review of “Daddy’s Roommate” by the School Library Journal: “A young boy describes his father’s relationship with his roommate, Frank (they ‘live together, work together, eat together, sleep together…’), and his own relationship with these men — shopping, gardening, and enjoying the zoo, beach, movies, etc. He believes that ‘being gay is just one more kind of love. And love is the best kind of happiness.’ The tone throughout the book is positive, and the boy has healthy, affectionate bonds with the adults in his life.
In other words, it’s a good lesson for ALL kids who don’t understand that gay people are just like other people.
One library patron in Colorado challenged “Uncle Bobby’s Wedding” based on the fact that his state does not have legal same-sex marriage. His library rejected his appeal, pointing out that it would be impossible to weed out all of the fictional stories about murder, robbery and other illegal acts.
Transiteer
The Nazis burned books they didn’t like too. I’m a bit surprised by 1. There are that many shrieking homophobes in Texas and 2. There are that many shrieking homophobes in Texas who can read. Seig Heil Ladies. Still making “Land of the Free” a national Joke.
jason smeds
Librarian Courtney Kincaid is wonderful. The reason why books are important is because they humanize us. They are a great counter to the awful bigotry that is out there.
When we are in books and out there in society rather than hidden away in the shadows, we show our humanity to the world. It makes the world a better place.
Jason Xanthopoulos
Love me some kicka$$ librarians!!!
GG
“Granbury resident Dave Eagle complained the books are about ‘transvestic behavior’ and ‘program children with the LGBT agenda,’ telling the board, ‘This is information that hits a child’s eyes and goes into their brains before they have a chance to make a decision about it. As adults we have a duty to protect children’s innocence.’”
Great, Mr. Eagle! So I can count on you then to sign my petition to protect children by banning exposure to religion until they reach the age of 18. You know, so that religion won’t ‘hit a child’s eyes (or ears) and go into their brain before they have a chance to make a decision about it.’
Atomicrob
Kudos to this sensitive and courageous librarian who has the good sense to preserve literature. There are some enlightened people in Texas . . .
Maude
The thing is, the parents are afraid that if the children try it, they’ll like it, and you know what?…I think they’re right.
And what’s so unusual about that? Kids of every generation have tried straight sex, some have liked it, and some have not.
If the kid is born gay, reading the book won’t change anything…Neither will it change anything if the kid is born straight.
Try both, and you may find out that you are straight or Gay….or Bisexual.
If the kids don’t experiment, they might grow up deprived.
We’re deprived, we’re deprived……. my father is a junky, my mother is a dyke,
my sister is a whore, my brother wears a dress, gee officer Crumkie, that’s why we’re a mess.
Maude
Without ‘book-learning’ people grow up physically, but mentally, remain a child.
Commonly called a “functional illiterate”. I know, because my brother-in-law is a real live moron who has admitted to me that: “I never read a book in my life”….
..and it is apparent in every conversation, everyday!
He is a good man, but I hate stupid, so I limit our times together.