Because reading is what, children…? Against the law?
RuPaul‘s children’s book, Who is RuPaul? is stirring up controversy in Colchester, Connecticut. Some parents in town are defending it while others are “concerned”.
Andreas Bisbikos, (R) Colchester First Selectman (see that R after his name?) said,
A parent approached me on Friday of last week about a book in the children’s section of our library that had some potentially sexually, suggestive imagery.”
Bisbikos brought the issue to the library director Kate Byroade, who said,
Initially he asked me to remove it…”
Bisbikos said,
This has nothing to do with censorship or banning books. This is really asking the question are certain books in our library in the age-appropriate area for our children?”
On Facebook, Bisbikos wrote the book had been taken out of circulation and that he had called for an inventory of ALL of the children’s material.
He also says the parent who first brought forward the concern is expected to file an official complaint soon.
The drawing in question is of a woman wearing thigh high boots and others around her are spelling out “V-I-V-A” with their bodies.
Many said that they felt the response was too heavy-handed.
One parent, Jessica Clements said,
You want your kids around a community that is accepting of everybody.”
The ACLU said in a statement about the incident,
The Colchester First Selectman’s attempt to remove a book about RuPaul Charles, an Emmy-winning television producer and a Black gay man, is the latest example of the types of book bans that are taking hold across the country, which specifically aim to remove books that are by and about people of color, LGBTQ people, and other marginalized people.”
