Rampant stupidity
May. 10th, 2005 12:28 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
daemonlunaOK Lawmakers Vote to Restrict Access to Homosexual-Themed Children’s Books
First off, most children's books (by which I mean CHILDREN'S books, mostly picture books, not YA fare) are about so-and-so has two mommies or two daddies. This is not dealing with issues of sexuality, but of family, relationships, love, and affection. Part of the goddamn kindergarten curriculumn is talking about different kinds of families.
Secondly, the book in question, King and King, is only about sexuality if the parent wants to make it about sexuality. Do you want to tally how many pictures books there are that mention heterosexual love, marriage, and relationships, hmm? As well there should be; a collection of children's literature should not only include quality materials, but represent the full range of human emotion and experience relevant to the target audience. And while that does not necessarily mean explaining sexual desire to your four year old, other than answering the "how did the baby get into Mommie's tummy?" question, I certainly hope that it does mean acknowledging love in all its forms.
(On a completely unrelated, much less irritating tangent, there is a sequel now, I see, King & King & Family, though I have not read it yet.)
Also, sexual preference? Really, now.
However, I do love how in the LIS news post, the phrase "restrict children's access" is linked to a google search on the definition of censorship.
House Resolution 1039, by State Rep. Sally Kern, calls on Oklahoma libraries to "confine homosexually themed books and other age-inappropriate material to areas exclusively for adult access and distribution."
"There are some issues little children aren’t emotionally equipped to tackle and many parents believe the issue of sexual preference is one of them," said Kern, R-Oklahoma City. "Expecting six-year-olds to deal with the issue of sexuality is about as realistic as expecting them to carry a 100-pound backpack to school every day. Parents have a right to know that certain books deal with age-sensitive issues and decide for themselves if their child is ready to read those materials."
First off, most children's books (by which I mean CHILDREN'S books, mostly picture books, not YA fare) are about so-and-so has two mommies or two daddies. This is not dealing with issues of sexuality, but of family, relationships, love, and affection. Part of the goddamn kindergarten curriculumn is talking about different kinds of families.
Secondly, the book in question, King and King, is only about sexuality if the parent wants to make it about sexuality. Do you want to tally how many pictures books there are that mention heterosexual love, marriage, and relationships, hmm? As well there should be; a collection of children's literature should not only include quality materials, but represent the full range of human emotion and experience relevant to the target audience. And while that does not necessarily mean explaining sexual desire to your four year old, other than answering the "how did the baby get into Mommie's tummy?" question, I certainly hope that it does mean acknowledging love in all its forms.
(On a completely unrelated, much less irritating tangent, there is a sequel now, I see, King & King & Family, though I have not read it yet.)
Also, sexual preference? Really, now.
However, I do love how in the LIS news post, the phrase "restrict children's access" is linked to a google search on the definition of censorship.
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Date: 2005-05-11 04:44 am (UTC)