One Million Moms is a "project" of the American Family Association, which you may know has been identified as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Their self-assigned job is to get "up in arms," usually about what they see on the television or in the movies. This week it has taken aim at Scholastic, one of the world's largest publishers of children's books.
They have taken issue with books about same-sex parent families such as Mommy, Mama, and Me, Daddy, Papa and Me, and And Tango Makes Three and are focusing particular attention on Alex Gino's George.
The One Million Moms followers on Facebook and Twitter consist of 3722 people, who are mostly men.
In a post on its website, One Million Moms took particular issue with one book, George, a chapter book intended for kids in grades 3 to 7. Written by the queer activist and author Alex Gino, George tells the story of a transgender fourth grader. The 10-year-old hopes that by playing Charlotte in her school’s upcoming production of Charlotte’s Web, she’ll finally get her parents and teacher to look past the gender that was assigned to her at birth and accept her as a girl.
--Carol Kuruvilla, HuffPost
Scholastic published George in 2015.
George, a fourth-grader who knows she is a girl, despite appearances, begins to tell her secret.
The word “transgender” is used midway through, but far more work is done by the simple choice to tell George’s story using third-person narration and the pronouns “she” and “her.” Readers then cringe as much as George herself when bullies mock her or—perhaps worse—when well-meaning friends and family reassure her with sentiments like “I know you’ll turn into a fine young man.” Each year the fourth-graders at George’s school perform a dramatized version of Charlotte’s Web, the essentials of which are lovingly recapped (and tear-inducing ending revealed) for readers unfamiliar with the tale. George becomes convinced that if she plays Charlotte, her mom will finally see her as a girl. George’s struggles are presented with a light, age-appropriate, and hopeful touch. The responses she gets when she begins to confide in those closest to her are at times unexpected but perfectly true-to-character—most notably her crude older brother’s supportive observation that, “No offense, but you don’t make a very good boy.” A coda to the Charlotte’s Web story, in which George presents herself as a girl for the first time, is deeply moving in its simplicity and joy.
Warm, funny, and inspiring.
--Kirkus Review
Though others see her as male, 10-year-old George has long known that she is a girl, and she longs for people to see that truth, even while the idea terrifies her. When George’s fourth-grade class has tryouts for a school production of Charlotte’s Web, George desperately wants to play Charlotte, a character she adores. George’s teacher doesn’t allow to George to audition for the part, but her supportive best friend Kelly, who is cast as Charlotte, comes up with a plan that may give George the chance she needs. The taunts of a school bully, George’s self-doubts, and her mother’s inability to truly hear what George is telling her carry real weight as debut author Gino’s simple, direct writing illuminates George’s struggles and quiet strength. George’s joy during stolen moments when she can be herself will resonate with anyone who has felt different, while providing a necessary window into the specific challenges of a child recognizing that they are transgender. Profound, moving, and—as Charlotte would say—radiant, this book will stay with anyone lucky enough to find it. Ages 8–12.
--Publisher's Weekly
As part of its pitch against Scholastic, One Million Moms cited a statement from the American College of Pediatricians that claimed accepting kids’ transgender identities amounted to “child abuse.” According to the Human Rights Campaign, the American College of Pediatricians is a small, socially conservative organization that holds extreme views about LGBTQ people.
It is not a medical association except in the loosest interpretation of the phrase.
The American Academy of Pediatrics, on the other hand, has this to say:
The American Academy of Pediatrics stands in support of transgender children and adults, and condemns attempts to stigmatize or marginalize them. We believe transgender individuals are not a "disruption." They are members of our families, our communities, and our work force.
As pediatricians, we know that transgender children fare much better when they feel supported by their family, school and larger community. Shaming children based on their gender identity or expression is harmful to their social-emotional health and may have lifelong consequences. This includes public discourse that de-legitimizes the contributions that transgender individuals make to society.
The AAP supports policies that are gender-affirming for children – an approach that is supported by other key professional organizations. In 2016, the AAP joined with other organizations to produce the document, Supporting & Caring for Transgender Children, a guide for community members and allies to ensure that transgender young people are affirmed, respected, and able to thrive.
We urge all the leaders in our communities to use language that inspires and empowers children, adolescents and young adults. Our nation's future success depends on them.