A Virginia high school library is heating up with opposition to the gay-themed YA title Two Boys Kissing, and administrators will soon convene to consider a ban on the book.
Two Boys Kissing, which on the 2013 National Book Award long list, centers around two teen ex-boyfriends who team up to kiss for 32 hours straight and set a new Guinness World Record. Their journey then opens up dialogue about sexuality and gender identity among their classmates and parents.
Naturally, someone found such explicit and salacious content as cause for concern and took her fight to the highest levels in order to get the book banned from the Fauquier County High School library.
Concerned Local Parent Jessica Wilson was shocked at the content of the book, and shared her opinions with FHS student newspaper The Falconer.
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.
“My first thought was that I was shocked. My second thought was, ‘Who purchased this book and why?’ This book just kind of felt snuck in the by library. I can’t imagine that there wasn’t another, more appropriate book they could have purchased that would have appealed to a wider audience.”
We imagine that there were some pearls being very tightly clutched when that statement was given.
School librarian Becca Isaac sees very little cause for concern about the book, and points to the school’s library policies that prefer material that covers a wide range of views on current affairs. A higher level committee will meet on April 23rd to interview Wilson, and a public hearing will follow.
Two Boys Kissing, however, continues to fly off of shelves and we’re betting that the students don’t even care. Because we all know that controversy is the last thing that’s going to attract teenagers to read a book. Well played, Ms. Wilson.
Thad1527
Read the book. It’s really good. Heck, read everything David Levithan writes…my favorite is the novel he wrote with John Green, “Will Grayson, Will Grayson.” But they’re all good.
Dakotahgeo
Thank you, Mzzzzz. Wilson! You have just guaranted that every student will now want a copy and the bookstores, B & N, and Amazon will probably sell over a million books that YOU don’t want people to read! Goooood JOB!!!
Brian
The goal of a library is not to purchase a book that appeals to everyone. Rather, the goal of a library is to purchase many books on varying topics. The critics are missing the most fundamental concept of education / museums / libraries. Makes me wonder what other horrible decisions they’re making with that dumb philosophy of theirs.
sejjo
What a prude. Let’s all watch “Days of our Lives” instead and read Mill & Boon.
sejjo
What a prude. Let’s all watch “Days of our Lives” instead and read Mills & Boon.
Harley
I’m sure that Concerned Local Parent Jessica Wilson would rather the school library have only 35.000 copies of the bible in her local library. Lets not talk about anything that’s not in THAT book. After all, evolution doesn’t exist (as they say). Lets not even look at Methicillin Resistant Stapholococcus Arious. Or insects becoming resistant to pesticides, or the more than 150 different breeds of dogs. I think Noah favored his labradoodles over his teacup yorkies. And how did kangaroos get all the way back to Australia from the mountains of Ararat without leaving ANY trace of their journey (skeletons, fossils).
Wairiki
@Harley: Good point, except dog breeds are the result of selective breeding. Evolution is when species develop in response to environmental factors or the like. Selective breeding is done by people on purpose.
Captain Obvious
My home state continues to show it’s ass all day everyday. Whatever, Virginia.
Fun fact, Virginia has a huge closeted gay male population of corn fed boys/men with wives or girlfriends. That’s why I ran screaming from this place years ago but home is home…
Honestly I blame the gay population here more than the homophobes because at his point they allow it by trying to hide in plain sight. It’s one thing to be closeted, it’s another to get with a beard. And these women I don’t know if they’re in on it our just total airheads but all of these guys seem to have an endless source of desperate women to hide behind who fully allow it.
These teens will probably just be more future closet cases. You’d think the only gay men in the area are in DC, but you’d be very very wrong… it’s a candy store if you’re ok with your man having a woman he goes home to every night.
Peejakers
Sadly people keep doing this crazy nonsense because they think being gay is an idea that can spread like a fad, or a disease, or an addictive drug their kids may try & get hooked on. Books like this are not only essential for gay kids but for both kids who are not gay, because if the book is there some of them may read it too. Reading about love between 2 boys or two girls can be eye-opening & normalizing, letting kids who are not gay walk in the shoes of those gay kids & thus promoting understanding & empathy. But of course, that’s exactly what the book banners are afraid of. It’s the most perfect example of what the bible calls “hardening your heart” but they just can’t see it. Hardening your mind too, for that matter. It’s just really sad when people think it’s their duty as parents to guard their kids against thinking for themselves & opening their hearts.
mokuhulu
Kissing is salacious? Where; Amish country?
tricky ricky
she would have had a better chance complaining about I know why the caged bird sings or the color purple or to kill a mockingbird or of mice and men (my dad blew up over that one until my mom told him to shut up because there wasn’t one swear word in it he didn’t use multiple times a day)