It's
Banned Books Week and so, I like to take a look at what's making people mad about reading these days. The standard disclaimers are: you have the right to read what you want to read. You even have the right to help decide what your kid(s) read. You do not get to decide that no one can read a book. You do not get to decide that no library should have this book.
Also, I confess I find myself amused when a book that is optional reading gets challenged, because again, you could tell your kid, no, I don't think that should be your pick, but I'm not sure why you get to decide for
everyone's kid. Okay then.
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Fifty Shades of Grey was returned to the shelves of a public library where it was challenged.
-The number of books banned because a character has gay parents or makes, in once case, a passing mention to the existence of gay people astounds me. I am not unaware that there are people who are homophobic, but the attempt to erase even fictional mentions of people who are gay, is particularly strange to me. Some titles include
And Tango Makes Three,
The Family Book, Totally Joe.
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The Dirty Cowboy is a book that was removed from an elementary school library because the cowboy takes a bath, and so, while the pictures do not show any full frontal nudity, because you can tell the cowboy is naked, this is apparently inappropriate.
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500 Years of Chicano History in Pictures was removed along with other books providing Mexican history because they brainwash children into think Latinos might be or have been oppressed.
Also, hat tip to
DCist for the link to the DC Public Library's Roller Girl of the Day with her favorite banned book. Including my possible favorite roller girl name:
Queen Kamamayhemmayhem.
