In the most recent incident of conservatives attacking books that depict diversity and inclusion, a county in South Carolina is demanding all LGBTQ-positive books be removed from the library’s children’s and juvenile sections. The Greenville County GOP even created its own display of LGBTQ children’s books its members checked out from the Greenville County Library System to highlight what books it wants Greenville County Council to remove from the library, The Post and Courier reported.
It’s not much of a surprise now that the county’s Republican Party wants the books removed. But it’s concerning that, in addition, it also wants to the Council to investigate who ordered and displayed those books at the library. According to the resolution, the books the party hopes to remove allegedly promote “transsexuality and LGBTQ ideology to children in Greenville County.”
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At least five books are specifically named, including ‘Twas the Night Before Pride, My Shadow is Purple, The Rainbow Parade, I’m Not a Girl, and My Own Way: Celebrating Gender.
Additionally, the resolution noted the party’s position to “formally denounce any and all sexual indoctrination of children in government-funded schools and libraries.”
The demand comes after the party’s executive committee unanimously passed a resolution on Sept. 12 that called on County Council to take up the matter.
According to The Post and Courier, County Councilman Joe Dill said he will introduce the resolution soon, after the county staff puts it into the appropriate language and format used for the county’s binding resolutions. However, the outlet noted the topic is not listed on the council’s Sept. 20 agenda at this time.
Susan Ward, president of PFLAG GVL, an LGBTQ family and ally support group, told The Post and Courier she was “appalled” that members of the GCGOP believe they should decide what books are available to children at the library.
“I trust our highly educated librarians—folks who are passionate about books and who understand how reading expands our horizons and helps kids develop into well-rounded adults,” Ward said. “Removing books that mention the existence of LGBTQIA+ people and families from libraries does not make us disappear.”
Banning books that discuss LGBTQ identity is not new to South Carolina. Last year, Gov. Henry McMaster urged his state Department of Education to remove Gender Queer: A Memoir, a book about gender identity, from school shelves, calling it "obscene and pornographic,” NBC News reported.
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