NSW’s arts minister, John Graham, says a Sydney council has sent a “terrible message” by voting to ban same-sex parenting books, importing a “US culture war into our country”.
In case you missed it: Cumberland city council voted to place a blanket ban on same-sex parenting books from local libraries. Labor councillor Mohamad Hussein voted in favour of the motion, which passed six to five.
Speaking to ABC RN earlier this morning, Graham said he had not spoken to the councillors directly but understood there would likely be another vote next Wednesday.
“That’s a good thing. I think it’s a chance for the council to reconsider.”
He said the council’s decision to ban same-sex parenting books is in breach of guidelines that apply to public libraries across NSW, stating they should be “an unbiased source of information and ideas”. Abiding by this is a condition for funding, Graham said.
The minister said he has read the book which sparked the ban – which is a “simple story [showing] that families come in all shapes and sizes”.
“It’s a terrible message to send, to have this councillor importing this US culture war into our country and playing it out on the shelves of the local library. I think the community expectations are clear – the local councillors should be coming around to pick up their bin, not telling them what to read.”
It’s striking that in the name of ‘protecting the children,’ someone would threaten to blow up a library at a time they would reasonably assume it was full of children.
Tells you a lot about the kinds of people banning books.
Today in Labor History January 30, 1933: German President Hindenburg appointed Adolf Hitler Chancellor. Almost immediately, Hitler began his attacks on labor, with his Sturmabteilung (paramilitary) raiding and burning union offices and assassinating labor leaders, while the police looked on. In May, 1933, he created the German Labor Front, a fascist labor organization to replace the gutted unions. They sent many of the labor leaders to concentration camps and abolished collective bargaining and union elections. Also in May, 1933, the Nazis also attacked and destroyed the Institute for Sexual Sciences, home to the world’s first trans medical clinic, which performed the world’s first sexual reassignment surgeries, for Karl Meir Baer, in 1906, and Lili Elbe, in 1930-1931.
Despite falling on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a day traditionally associated with calls for equality and inclusivity, the Idaho House Committee on State Affairs approved House Bill 384, a controversial measure that targets LGBTQ+ literature depicting certain expressions of homosexuality.
Given that the US is currently going through a book banning frenzy you might wanna get some copies of this to the YAs in your life or community. I say YA but it's Ursula Le Guin so the writing is a finer quality than most adult fiction. Voices is one of a series but I've only read this one.
"The story is set in the fictional city of Ansul, once famed as a center of learning, but invaded and subjugated by the Alds, a desert people who believe the written word to be evil."
'Sloppy and rushed' Florida book law causes 'confusion' among school-district attorneys
The editors emphasize, the confusing legislation "is a serious matter because, under Florida statute, librarians and educators could face third-degree felony charges if they 'knowingly' distribute content that's harmful to students."
Republican candidate for Missouri governor vows to burn books: "But let’s be clear, you bring those woke pornographic books to Missouri schools to try to brainwash our kids, and I’ll burn those too - on the front lawn of the governor’s mansion."
Pixelfed.social just blocked hours of work I did uploading academic book chapters on sexuality from authors such as Camille Paglia, Michel Foucault, and a range of others. It took hours to upload them and make collections.
Pixelfed.social admins ARE BANNING BOOKS!
And no communication from them whatsoever, of course.
While some states are banning books left and right, California is set to enact a law that would penalise schools that ban any book reflecting the state’s diversity, including those that explore LGBTQ+ identities and race....
A teacher in Georgia, U.S.A was just fired for reading the book, My Shadow Is Purple (video of the book being read), to her 5th grade class. It uses colors to convey the fact that people are not all the same and that life is better for everyone when we all get to be who we are.
Die Republicans in #Texas haben das gemacht was sie angekündigt haben, und verbieten #trans Healthcare für Minderjährige. Betreffende Minderjährige, die schon in Hormonbehandlung sind werden zwangsdetransitioniert.
Üble Grausamkeit ihnen gegenüber.
Dafür gestimmt hat auch eine Abgeordnete der Democrats.
Während der #DragBan & #bookban in #Texas zunächst weiter blockiert wird und daher nicht in Kraft treten kann, gibts schlechte Nachrichten: ein Urteil des texanischen Supreme Court, dass ohne dies näher zu begründen, bisherige Blockaden des Verbots von #trans Healthcare für Minderjährige aufhebt. Damit treten die jetzt leider in Kraft.
Minderjährige die bereits Medikamente erhalten sollen diese jetzt schrittweise absetzen.
[News] California passes anti-book ban bill: 'The true freedom state' (www.thepinknews.com)
While some states are banning books left and right, California is set to enact a law that would penalise schools that ban any book reflecting the state’s diversity, including those that explore LGBTQ+ identities and race....