Another librarian has spoken out to endorse the view that sexually explicit books should not be included in the section of the library for over-12s, saying the media has “lazily” branded parents who object as “far-right” while “ignoring the content of the books”.
“This creates a false impression that the protests are about banning and censoring LGBTQ+ books, when the objective is to have them removed from the teenage section,” the library worker pointed out.
The librarian, from the midlands, wrote in the Irish Independent that she endorsed the views previously expressed by a Dublin librarian who said that “many librarians privately object to making books with adult sexual content available to under-18s”.
“One of the books, for example, describes how to perform oral sex; including the following text: “It’s about sliding your mouth up and down the shaft of his c**k,” the Dublin librarian wrote.
“If, as an editor, you feel uncomfortable printing that, I ask you to consider library staff who are expected to give this material to young teens.”
In a second letter on the issue, the midlands librarian said that the Local Government Management Agency – the state body which ordered the libraries to display the controversial books – must not have bothered to read the books before recommending them, but also posited that the agency may have wanted to appear “progressive at all costs”.
Sir — I’d like to endorse the views expressed by a Dublin librarian (Letters, August 13). I, too, am a librarian — from the midlands — and although I also disagree with the methods used by the protesters, I think the media reporting has failed to provide balance by focusing exclusively on the protesters and lazily branding them as deranged, far-right loons, while downplaying or ignoring the content of the books.
This creates a false impression that the protests are about banning and censoring LGBTQ+ books, when the objective is to have them removed from the teenage section.
Two of the books have already been removed from the reading guide issued by Children’s Books Ireland who deemed them unsuitable for under 18s.
One can’t help reaching the depressing conclusion that all bodies concerned, including the Local Government Management Agency, didn’t bother to read the books before recommending them. Or could it be the case that the books were read, but that any concerns regarding the content were suppressed because, in the new Ireland, one must be seen to be “progressive” at all costs?
As with last week’s letter writer, I’ve also requested that my name not be published in case the “far-left” (sorry, but sauce for the goose etc) label me as a homophobe and a fascist, increasingly meaningless insults that are hurled at anyone who dares to question the orthodoxy.
Name and address with editor
A coalition of campaign groups issued a statement welcoming the intervention by librarians, saying that sexually graphic adult content being categorised as
suitable for children aged 12 to 17 years in public libraries
The Irish Education Alliance, Natural Women’s Council, Lawyers for Justice Ireland and Parents Rights Alliance said that “According to the Children First Act 2015, children are under 18. We have been relentlessly campaigning to stop our public libraries from exposing our children to inappropriate highly sexualised reading material from the outset.”
“Our first call for parents to take action on 28th January 2023 challenged our public libraries on the grounds that the sexualised content of the ‘Rainbow Reads’, now ‘The Pride Reading Guide’ books, breached civil and criminal legislation as there was a complete failure to safeguard our children.”
The groups previously said that parents had begun to approach libraries after it had come to their attention that books aimed at teens as young as 12 years contained explicit instructions on ‘fisting’ and ‘blow jobs’, and on the use of adult dating apps such as Grindr.
At least one book, ‘Trans Teen Survival Guide’ by Owl Fisher – which is aimed at teens – promoted the use of puberty blockers, a medical treatment which critics say was often offered hastily to teenagers and which has been withdrawn from use in the UK in almost all settings where gender dysphoria in teenagers is being treated under the NHS.
Another book by Juno Dawson, entitled ‘This Book is Gay’, includes advice like “as with handjobs and breakfast eggs, all men like their blow jobs served in different ways” as well as the instructions regarding oral sex referred to in the Dublin librarian’s letter.
While the instructions are explicit, the language is often pitched towards a young audience, with lots of headings like ‘Handsies’ and “Bummies”, and “Sexyfuntimes”.
The books have been placed in the section of the library for readers aged 12-17 years – and have been pictured placed on promotional displays in libraries.
Last week, the Dublin librarian revealed that trained staff did not choose the books – and that libraries were ordered to display them by a state body, the Local Government Management Agency, “following consultation with various NGOs, including LGBTQ+ groups”.
“I disagree with the methods of the protesters, including filming library staff, but I’m angered that the LGMA would put staff in such a position that protests against us are necessary, the Dublin librarian wrote.
The campaign groups said that they “noticed over time that some libraries moved ‘This Book is Gay’ to the adult section and others did not. Emails were sent to LGMA requesting a reason for this discrepancy and for the criteria used to decide what books go where.”
“It was apparent from the outset that there was a bigger agenda at play here when our legal submissions were stonewalled by our public library officials, who refused to acknowledge that the sexually graphic adult content of these books are in breach of the child-safeguarding law,” they said.
“The forceful reaction by mainstream media and certain politicians and councillors in trying to shut down national debate on what is suitable content for children, by labelling and name calling the library campaign as “far-right” served to further reaffirm our belief that the State were willing to sacrifice the welfare of our children at the altar of gender identity ideology,” they added.
Referring to the revelation regarding the LGMA choosing books the campaigners said they were “not surprised” to learn that the LGMA “instructed” libraries to display books they described as “sexually explicit and indoctrinating” in the children’s section.
“What we are presently witnessing in our Irish society is that the ‘third sector’, unaccountable and massively financed NGOs, with their own agenda, such as the LGBT Federation of Ireland, TENI, Belong To and the INTO LGBT+ group are heavily influencing Governmental policy decisions from the highest level, including what is suitable for our children’s reading material,” they said.
“Decisions were made behind closed doors without any public scrutiny or consultation with parents, the primary educators of their children,” they added. “What we now need is a call for an open and transparent national debate before it is too late”
They called for the libraries to examine Risk Assessments and the Child-Safeguarding Statements regarding displays in u-18 sections of the library.
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