Texans try to ban LGBT-friendly children’s books from library
Texas parents are attempting to have two LGBT-friendly children’s books removed from their local library.
At the Hood County library, two children’s books are being challenged by Texan parents for their LGBT content.
The picture books in question- My Princess Boy and This Day in June- are intended to teach and promote LGBT acceptance among their young readers.
According to WFFA 8, library director Courtney Kincaid said: “Lesbians and gays are in this community, and they deserve to have some items in this collection.”
More than fifty parents in the local community disagree.
They are petitioning the inclusion of the children’s books in the children’s section, claiming the subject matter is inappropriate and pushes youth towards the “gay lifestyle.”
When the Hood County Library Advisory Board was consulted, the panel decided to keep the picture books in their original placement.
Ms Kincaid compromised in transferring This Day in June to the non-fiction shelves.
My Princess Boy, written by Cheryl Kilodavis in 2009, is a non-fiction picture book about the author’s son.
The My Princess Boy Facebook page states: “It is about our son who happily expresses his authentic self by dressing up in dresses and enjoying traditional girl things such as anything pink or sparkly.”
Photo: My Princess Boy Facebook page
Recently, the book has been translated to Spanish and the Facebook fan page has 14,000 likes.
Written Dr. Gayle E. Pitman, This Day in June focuses on an LGBT Pride parade.
It won the 2015 American Library Association Stonewall Book Award and holds the rank of Top Ten on the American Library Association Rainbow List.
Rose Myers, a Granbury City Council member, released the following statement to WFFA 8: “My decision to sign a protest regarding the book My Princess Boy was clearly based on the fact that if the library would not move the books and keep them in an appropriate location, then they should be removed. . .
“Can a four year old understand the content of this book without the help of an adult? In my opinion, No!”
Other Texan public libraries have included the literature in their children’s sections without issue.
This isn’t the first time this week that the area has had exhibited intolerance towards the LGBT community.
County clerk Katie Lang refused to sign the same-sex marriage licenses after the Supreme Court ruling.
The Hood County clerk’s office chose on Tuesday to issue them without her contribution.
