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The Republican Governor of Texas Greg Abbott asked the school boards of the state to remove LGBTQ themed books it described as “pornography,” a move that came after at least two state legislators also asked school officials to investigate what books are in schools, based on CNN.
Abbot’s letter , sent to the Texas School Boards Association on Monday, did not cite a specific book that contains what he described as “pornography,” but refers to the parents of students are pissed off precisely because of that content.
Last week, Republican legislator from Texas, Jeff Cason , issued a statement asking the state attorney general to investigate books that he also described as “pornography” . In her statement, she highlighted the graphic novel “Gender Queer” by Maia Kobabe.
This is not the first time that a book by Kobabe and others LGBTQ content books are targeted by politicians and community members.
Another district in Keller, a city in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area, removed Kobabe’s book after receiving complaints that it contained “inappropriate images.”
“Illustrations of this type should never be available in the school setting. Ensuring that our curriculum materials are appropriate for students is a priority for Keller ISD. We are changing the process we use to review and approve books and related materials to prevent future incidents, ”the district said in a statement shared with CNN.
The debate over which books should be allowed in schools is part of a broader national movement led by parents who oppose the lessons on racism, history and LGBTQ issues that some conservatives have falsely branded as critical race theory .
The author of the LGBTQ book says she is surprised
In Iowa last week, the Waukee Community School District removed “Gender Queer” and two other LGBTQ books from the Northwest High School library after a community member read sexual excerpts from the books during a meeting of the seals on 25 Octu
“Gender Queer,” a story about the passing of Childhood to Youth, was published two and a half years ago, and deals with gender and sexuality. Its author, Maia Kobabe , only found out that she was being challenged in schools in September.
Its author, Maia Kobabe, only found out that she was being challenged in schools in September.
alerted was that she was being tagged in a short Instagram video of one of the Fairfax County, Virginia school board meetings, “Kobabe told CNN.
Since then, Kobabe discovered that “Gender Queer” has been banned or challenged in school libraries in at least seven states.
“The challenges are happening so fast now that I can barely keep up with them,” Kobabe said.
Kobabe wants people who call “queer gender” pornography to read the entire book. Read the whole book and judge for yourself. Don’t just rely on one or two little clips you’ve seen on social media, ”said the author.
Kobabe said libraries offer a safe space for someone trying to find out about themselves, especially if it’s a topic they’re not comfortable with.
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