The Washgton Post</tle><path fill-le="evenodd" fill="whe" d="M42.2 24.27l-4.28-4.32-3.28 3.32v26.65l7.47 6.62.08-.07v-32.2zm-17.25 1l-5.34-5.32-3.51 3.62V50l6.48 5.62 2.37-2.7V25.27zm59.4-13.49l8.65 8v33.76L79.61 63.78c-1.3-1.63-2.9-3.02-4.81-3.57v16.15l-.16.08-4.2-3.96-8.87 8.3-.16-.08V59.82a14.37 14.37 0 00-7.8 5.13l-.61-.39c.53-5.98 3.44-10.4 8.41-12.1V37.31h-1.6a4.03 4.03 0 00-4.06 3.26h-.91A9.64 9.64 0 0154.3 37c0-3.8 2.52-6.68 6.65-6.68h.46v-8.38l-2.75-2.48-2.14 2.17-1.07-1.01 8.49-8.85 7.19 6.68v7.6l2.22-2.4v-8.93h1.45v7.37l9.56-10.32zm-11 13.35l-2.22 2.33v43.7l2.22 2.1V25.12zM15.1 0l.68.62c-2.51 1.23-4.57 2.77-4.57 6.08 0 5.09 4.88 3.78 4.88 11.79v3.08l8.92-9.47 9.39 9.32 8.85-9.33 8.54 8.48v28.5L36.1 63.71l-10.6-9.25-8.1 9.25-10.98-9.55v-15.1H4.27c-1.9 0-2.82 1.15-3.13 2.7H.38c-.15-.62-.38-1.7-.38-2.93 0-2 .84-7.24 6.4-7.24V19.88c0-4.55-2.97-4.78-2.97-8.7C3.43 6.77 7.55 2.7 15.11 0zm63.74 19.16L74.8 23.5v28.18c3.6.46 6.27 1.7 8.49 4.11l.07-.08V23.35l-4.5-4.2z"></path></svg><div class="center ml-xxs">Exclive</div></div></span></div></div><div class="PJLV PJLV-iPJLV-css grid-center w-100"><h1 id="ma-ntent" class="ml-to mr-to font--headle offblack headle mb-xs pb-xxs-ns">‘Racist,’ ‘groomg’: Why parents are tryg to ban so many picture books</h1></div><div class="PJLV PJLV-iPJLV-css grid-center w-100"><h2 class="ma-to font--subhead font-light offblack subheadle mb-sm mb-md-ns">The culture war over what children n read has reached illtrated texts for the youngt rears</h2></div><div class="PJLV PJLV-iPJLV-css grid-center w-100"><div class="flex prt-byle prt-mt-none jtify-center"><div class="byle-wrapper flex-lumn flex ems-ns-center"><div class="PJLV PJLV-ihSmMVC-css"><div class="mb-xxs" style="gap:0.5rem" data-qa="thor-byle"><span class="wpds-c-PJLV"><div class="flex ems-center" data-qa="thor-byle"><div class="mr-sm flex lh-0"><div class="wpds-c-iTcer"><img src=" alt="" class="wpds-c-dgBqAZ"/></div></div><span class="left"><div class="flex"><div class="dib font-xxs" data-qa="name-wh-optnal-lk" data-cy="name-wh-optnal-lk"><span data-qa="attributn-text" class="wpds-c-cNdzuP">By <!-- --> </span><a data-qa="thor-name" href=" rel="thor" class="wpds-c-cNdzuP wpds-c-cNdzuP-ejzZdU-isLk-te">Hannah Natanson</a></div></div></span></div></span></div></div><div data-ttid="timtamp" class="wpds-c-kgabfe wpds-c-kgabfe-ikrKXLV-css"><span data-ttid="display-date" class="wpds-c-iKQyrV">July 12, 2023 at 6:00 a.m. EDT</span></div></div></div></div><div class="PJLV PJLV-iPJLV-css grid-center grid-tablet-full-bleed"><div data-ttid="le-art" data-qa="le-art" class=""><figure class="overflow-hidn relative hi-for-prt center center mb-sm mb-md-ns ml-to-ns mr-to-ns"><div style="filter:blur(10px);transn:filter .1s;le-height:0" class="w-100 mw-100 h-to" width="600" height="400"><img style="background-size:ver;max-width:1600px;background-image:url('data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg xmlns='http%3A//; xmlns%3Axlk='http%3A//; viewBox='0 0 1280 853'%3E%3Cfilter id='b' lor-terpolatn-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGssianBlur stdDeviatn='.5'%3E%3C/feGssianBlur%3E%3CfeComponentTransfer%3E%3CfeFuncA type='discrete' tableValu='1 1'%3E%3C/feFuncA%3E%3C/feComponentTransfer%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage filter='url(%23b)' x='0' y='0' height='100%25' width='100%25' xlk%3Ahref='data%3Aimage/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAkAAAAGCAIAAACepSOSAAAACXBIWXMAAC4jAAAuIwF4pT92AAAAs0lEQVQI1wGoAFf/AImSoJSer5yjs52ktp2luJuluKOpuJefsoCNowB+kKaOm66grL+krsCnsMGrt8m1u8mzt8OVoLIAhJqzjZ2tnLLLnLHJp7fNmpyjqbPCqLrRjqO7AIeUn5ultaWtt56msaSnroZyY4mBgLq7wY6TmwCRfk2Pf1uzm2WulV+xmV6rmGyQfFm3nWSBcEIAfm46jX1FkH5Djn5AmodGo49MopBLlIRBfG8yj/dfjF5TUAAAAASUVORK5CYII='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E')" alt="A grid of 8 box show children's picture book vers alternatg wh handwrten plats about them." class="w-100 mw-100 h-to" width="600" height="400" srcSet=" 400w, 540w, 691w, 767w, 916w, 1200w, 1440w" siz="(max-width: 440px) 440px,(max-width: 768px) 691px,(max-width: 1023px) 916px,(max-width: 1199px) 1200px,(m-width: 1200px) 1440px,440px" dg="async"/></div><figptn class="ml-gutter mr-gutter mr-to-ns ml-to-ns font--subhead font-xxxs mt-xs left gray-dark">(Illtratn by Lucy Naland/The Washgton Post; Pengu Random Hoe; HarperColls Publishers)</figptn></figure></div></div></div></div><div class="wpds-c-cfCtfh"><div class="wpds-c-jUMcim wpds-c-jUMcim-iPJLV-css hi-for-prt mb-sm"><div class="PJLV PJLV-ieDMgMI-css flex ems-center" nfig="[object Object]" data-qa="article-actns"><div class="wpds-c-mfMEg"><div class="wpds-c-kSOqLF wpds-c-hnjNCH wpds-c-kSOqLF-bywHgD-variant-primary wpds-c-kSOqLF-biynoz-nsy-pact wpds-c-kSOqLF-hZSyid-isOutle-te wpds-c-kSOqLF-ejCoEP-in-left wpds-c-kSOqLF-futx-cv wpds-c-hnjNCH-eNNUQD-cv wpds-c-hnjNCH-jGqLyO-cv"><div class="wpds-c-jmMNTu"><div role="button" tabx="0" aria-label="Listen" data-ttid="listen-button" class="PJLV PJLV-ieXqgLD-css"><svg xmlns=" fill="var(--wpds-lors-primary)" viewBox="0 0 16 16" aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img" class="wpds-c-kKAfCG wpds-c-bPOGbC"><path fill="currentColor" d="M12.29 3.88A6.13 6.13 0 0 1 14 8.24V11a3 3 0 0 1-3 3h-1V8h1a3 3 0 0 1 2 .78v-.54A5.118 5.118 0 0 0 8 3a5.12 5.12 0 0 0-5 5.24v.54A3 3 0 0 1 5 8h1v6H5a3 3 0 0 1-3-3 2.09 2.09 0 0 1 0-.5V8.24A6.13 6.13 0 0 1 8 2a6.13 6.13 0 0 1 4.29 1.88Z"></path></svg></div><span aria-hidn="te" class="wpds-c-uwUI">Listen</span><div class="wpds-c-jxWEMP">11 m</div></div></div></div><div class="wpds-c-mfMEg"><div class="wpds-c-kSOqLF wpds-c-hnjNCH wpds-c-kSOqLF-bywHgD-variant-primary wpds-c-kSOqLF-biynoz-nsy-pact wpds-c-kSOqLF-hZSyid-isOutle-te wpds-c-kSOqLF-ejCoEP-in-left wpds-c-kSOqLF-futx-cv wpds-c-hnjNCH-eNNUQD-cv wpds-c-hnjNCH-jGqLyO-cv"><button aria-label="Comment" class="wpds-c-gPbxFP"><svg xmlns=" viewBox="0 0 16 16" fill="var(--wpds-lors-primary)" aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img" class="wpds-c-kKAfCG wpds-c-efqEZa flex ems-center jtify-center brad-lg poter transn-400 ease--out transn-lors" aria-label="Comment on this story"><tle>Comment on this story</tle><path d="M14 14V2H2v9.47h8.18L12.43 13ZM3 10.52V3h10v9.23l-2.5-1.66Z"></path></svg></button><span aria-hidn="te" class="wpds-c-fBEbFG">Comment</span><span class="wpds-c-fOvfhP wpds-c-fOvfhP-kshkDy-isCommentType-te none" aria-hidn="te"><span class="ment-unt font-xxxxs sc-ral-unt"><span class="ral-unt unfed" data-ral-notext="te"></span></span></span></div></div><div class="wpds-c-mfMEg"><div class="wpds-c-kSOqLF wpds-c-hnjNCH wpds-c-kSOqLF-bywHgD-variant-primary wpds-c-kSOqLF-biynoz-nsy-pact wpds-c-kSOqLF-hZSyid-isOutle-te wpds-c-kSOqLF-ejCoEP-in-left wpds-c-kSOqLF-futx-cv wpds-c-hnjNCH-eNNUQD-cv wpds-c-hnjNCH-jGqLyO-cv"><div class="dib poter" data-qa="gift-share"><div aria-label="Gift this story" aria-ntrols="gift-share" aria-owns="gift-share" id="gift-share-ntrol" class="" aria-haspopup="te" aria-expand="false" role="button" tabx="0"><svg xmlns=" viewBox="0 0 16 16" fill="currentColor" class="wpds-c-dJBvpf wpds-c-PJLV" aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img"><path d="M10.73 5h.14a1.75 1.75 0 0 0 1-2.25 1.83 1.83 0 0 0-.51-.75 1.72 1.72 0 0 0-1.48-.35 1.76 1.76 0 0 0-1.2.94L8 3.93l-.68-1.4A1.76 1.76 0 0 0 4 3.59 1.74 1.74 0 0 0 5.13 5H2v4h1v5h10V9h1V5ZM9.58 3a.77.77 0 0 1 .51-.4h.17a.73.73 0 0 1 .47.17.72.72 0 0 1 .27.71.72.72 0 0 1-.48.58l-1.77.66ZM5 3.43a.72.72 0 0 1 .27-.71.73.73 0 0 1 .47-.17h.17a.77.77 0 0 1 .51.4l.83 1.7L5.48 4A.74.74 0 0 1 5 3.43ZM3 6h4.5v2H3Zm1 3h3.5v4H4Zm4.5 4V9H12v4ZM13 8H8.5V6H13Z" data-name="Path 10"></path></svg></div></div><span aria-hidn="te" class="wpds-c-fBEbFG">Gift<!-- --> <span class="PJLV PJLV-ikqOWxF-css">Article</span></span></div></div><div class="dib poter" data-qa="wpds-tooltip-ntrol"><div aria-ntrols="actns-tooltip" aria-owns="actns-tooltip" id="actns-tooltip-ntrol" class="" aria-haspopup="te" aria-expand="false"><div class="wpds-c-mfMEg"><div class="wpds-c-kSOqLF wpds-c-hnjNCH wpds-c-kSOqLF-bywHgD-variant-primary wpds-c-kSOqLF-biynoz-nsy-pact wpds-c-kSOqLF-hZSyid-isOutle-te wpds-c-kSOqLF-ejCoEP-in-left wpds-c-kSOqLF-futx-cv wpds-c-hnjNCH-eNNUQD-cv wpds-c-hnjNCH-jGqLyO-cv"><div tabx="0" aria-label="Share" class="PJLV PJLV-ietWzJw-css"><svg xmlns=" viewBox="0 0 16 16" fill="currentColor" aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img" class="wpds-c-dJBvpf wpds-c-dJBvpf-iPJLV-css "><path d="M14 14H2V7h1v6h10V7h1Zm-5.5-2h-1V3h1Z"></path><path d="M10.29 5.71 11 5 8 2l-.71.71L5 5l.71.71L8 3.42l2.29 2.29z"></path></svg></div><span aria-hidn="te" class="wpds-c-fBEbFG">Share</span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="teaser-ntent grid-center"><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“Dangero.” “Groomg.” “Reckls.” “Racist.” “Lyg.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">All are adjectiv that adults applied to children’s picture books as they sought to ban the tl om schools last year. The illtrated texts, tend for the youngt rears, are a surprisg foc of the historic spike efforts to rtrict lerature classrooms and K-12 librari, acrdg to a first-of-s-kd Washgton Post analysis of schoolbook challeng.</p></div></div><div></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb dn db-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-sktop"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-none pt-lg pb-lg" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"><div>Advertisement</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">The disntent wh children’s picture books overwhelmgly centers on tl wh LGBTQ characters and storyl, which were targeted 75 percent of such challeng, The Post found. The top motive, ced 64 percent of the picture-book plats, was a wish to prevent children om readg about lbian, gay, bisexual, transgenr, nonbary and queer liv. The next most-mon reason was books’ “appropriate” nature, ced 44 percent of challeng, and the third most-mon reason was that books were “anti-police,” a charge clud 25 percent of challeng.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-body grid-center" data-qa="article-body"><div class="wpds-c-SEUFi wpds-c-SEUFi-iblNTCR-css"><div data-ttid="re-roel-ntaer" role="group" aria-rolescriptn="roel" class="wpds-c-jQxwKe wpds-c-jQxwKe-ijDnrbR-css"><a href="#end-react-aria-1" class="wpds-c-iSKIAI wpds-c-iSKIAI-iedmEYU-css">Skip to end of roel</a><div class="absolute right-0 pa-md h-100 z-1 poter-events-none" style="top:0;background-image:"></div><div class="flex-ns jtify-between ems-center" aria-hidn="te"><h6 class="wpds-c-bcjwkI">About this seri and soarg book challeng the U.S.</h6><div class="PJLV arrows mb-sm jtify-center flex"><button ariaLabel="Navigate to the left" class="wpds-c-kSOqLF wpds-c-kSOqLF-SQjOY-variant-sendary wpds-c-kSOqLF-biynoz-nsy-pact wpds-c-kSOqLF-hGNJMA-in-center wpds-c-kSOqLF-ijxySvO-css wpds-c-ktSrjS" dataQa="sc-roel-arrow-left" disabled="" tabx="-1"><svg xmlns=" viewBox="0 0 16 16" fill="currentColor" aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img" class="wpds-c-fBqPWp "><path d="m6.62 12.62.71-.71L3.91 8.5H14v-1H3.91l3.42-3.41-.71-.71L2 8Z"></path></svg><span class="wpds-c-iSKIAI">arrow left</span></button><button ariaLabel="Navigate to the right" class="wpds-c-kSOqLF wpds-c-kSOqLF-SQjOY-variant-sendary wpds-c-kSOqLF-biynoz-nsy-pact wpds-c-kSOqLF-hGNJMA-in-center wpds-c-kSOqLF-ieFkEda-css wpds-c-iIeZAd" dataQa="sc-roel-arrow-right" tabx="-1"><svg xmlns=" viewBox="0 0 16 16" fill="currentColor" aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img" class="wpds-c-fBqPWp "><path d="m9.38 3.38-.71.71 3.42 3.41H2v1h10.09l-3.42 3.41.71.71L14 8Z"></path></svg><span class="wpds-c-iSKIAI">arrow right</span></button></div></div><div data-ttid="roel-ntent" data-qa="roel-ntent" class="wpds-c-cubdkx overflow-xscroll"><div data-qa="roel-em-0" data-ttid="roel-em-0" class="wpds-c-bYoKkr snap-start flex-none" role="group" aria-rolescriptn="sli" aria-label="1 of 3"><div class="wpds-c-iKoytf wpds-c-iKoytf-iduqwxX-css"><div class="wpds-c-iMKICq wpds-c-iMKICq-ihPoHKF-css"><div><div class="wpds-c-jIpZwk">Schoolbook challeng have risen to unprecented levels over the past three years. To unrstand what and who is drivg objectns to K-12 texts, Washgton Post K-12 Edutn reporter Hannah Natanson <a href=" target=_blank>filed rerds requts wh 150 school districts natnwi</a>, seekg pi of every book challenge they received the 2021-2022 school year. If your school is seeg book challeng and you have a story to share, please get touch by emailg — or fill out <a href=" target=_blank>this submissn form</a>.</div></div></div></div></div><div data-qa="roel-em-1" data-ttid="roel-em-1" class="wpds-c-bYoKkr snap-start flex-none" role="group" aria-rolescriptn="sli" aria-label="2 of 3"><div class="wpds-c-iKoytf wpds-c-iKoytf-iduqwxX-css"><div class="wpds-c-iMKICq wpds-c-iMKICq-ihPoHKF-css"><div><div class="wpds-c-jIpZwk">Natanson obtaed and read through more than 1,000 challeng totalg 2,500 pag. A Post analysis of the challeng found that books about LGBTQ people are fast beg the ma target of the challeng — and that the majory of book plats <a href=" target=_blank>e om a mcule number of hyperactive adults</a>. Jt 11 people were rponsible for filg 60 percent of the 2021-2022 challeng. The most monly ced reason for opposg books was a sire to shield children om sexual ntent.</div></div></div></div></div><div data-qa="roel-em-2" data-ttid="roel-em-2" class="wpds-c-bYoKkr snap-start flex-none" style="marg-right:0px" role="group" aria-rolescriptn="sli" aria-label="3 of 3"><div class="wpds-c-iKoytf wpds-c-iKoytf-iduqwxX-css"><div class="wpds-c-iMKICq wpds-c-iMKICq-ihPoHKF-css"><div><div class="wpds-c-jIpZwk">This seri employs large-sle data analysis to obta a clear picture of which texts are drawg objectns and why — you n read the first story the seri here — “<a href=" target="_blank">Objectn to sexual, LGBTQ ntent propels spike book challeng</a>" — and the send story here: “<a href=" target="_blank">‘Racist,’ ‘groomg’: Why parents are tryg to ban so many picture books</a>.” Forthg articl will center the perspectiv of those who are challengg books, those who oppose the challeng and the admistrators forced to rpond to the flurry of objectns, as well as thors of challenged tl.</div></div></div></div></div></div><div id="re-roel-pagatn-arrows"><p class="wpds-c-kvJCne">1<!-- -->/<!-- -->3</p></div></div><span id="end-react-aria-1" class="sr-only" data-ttid="sr-only">End of roel</span></div><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“This book … opens up nversatns that lead to groomg and do not separate tn om moral beliefs,” an Idaho woman wrote a filg agast “<a href=" target=_blank>Pri: The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rabow Flag</a>.”</p><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">A Pennsylvania woman alleged that the book “<a href=" target=_blank>Julián Is a Mermaid</a>,” featurg a boy who drs as a mermaid, will “nfe a child … to e drag clothg and makp.”</p><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">And a man Virgia wrote that the book “<a href=" target=_blank>A Place Insi Of Me: A Poem to Heal the Heart</a>,” which explor a Black child’s reactn to the police killg of a girl his hometown, has “very dark and sister parts,” cludg the fact “law enforcement is picted as villas throughout this work.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p><span class="wpds-c-gnhuPA wpds-c-gnhuPA-hqeSyH-variant-terstial wpds-c-gnhuPA-iPJLV-css hi-for-prt"><a data-qa="terstial-lk" href=">Want to know more about my reportg on school book challeng? Subm your qutns for a live chat next week.</a></span></p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">The Post requted and analyzed roughly 2,500 pag of book challeng filed more than 100 districts natnwi throughout the 2021-2022 amic year. Picture books ma up nearly 10 percent of all the tl challenged the 1,000-pl plats, The Post found. The ee exprsn advocy group PEN Ameri, too, <a href=" target=_blank>nclud that more than 300 picture books</a> were challenged at school the 2021-2022 school year.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="mb-md"><iame tle="" aria-label="" id="datawrapper-chart-KgP2T" src=" scrollg="no" ameBorr="0" width="100%" height="500" style="borr:none"></iame></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“Part of me is like, ‘Wow, people are really puttg all this emphasis on picture books?’” said Kaylani Juana, who illtrated “<a href=" target=_blank>When Aidan Beme a Brother</a>,” which featur a transgenr protagonist. The tle was the send most-challenged picture book intified by The Post. “They’re treatg the books like weapons.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">It is par for the urse that polil topics du jour are shapg a bate about kids’ books, said Carol Tilley, an associate profsor at the Universy of Illois at Urbana-Champaign who rearch children’s prt culture. She poted out that, the 1950s, adults Alabama <a href=" target="_blank">csad</a> agast “<a href=" target="_blank">The Rabb’s Weddg</a>,” which told the story of a black and whe rabb gettg married.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“That didn’t play well segregatnist stat at the time,” she said. “I thk that you see a long pattern: Concerns tend to mirror whatever the big social chang are at any particular time.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb dn db-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-sktop"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-none pt-lg pb-lg" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"><div>Advertisement</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p><span class="wpds-c-gnhuPA wpds-c-gnhuPA-hqeSyH-variant-terstial wpds-c-gnhuPA-iPJLV-css hi-for-prt"><a data-qa="terstial-lk" href=">Objectn to sexual, LGBTQ ntent propels spike book challeng</a></span></p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">As nflicts rage over what and how children should learn about race, genr and sex at school, public opn seems spl.<b> </b><a href=" target=_blank>A late-2022 Post-KFF poll</a> found that more than 70 percent of adults feel is appropriate for teachers to discs trans inty krgarten through fifth gra, while slightly more than half of adults also believe the topic is appropriate for gras six through eight. At the same time, 77 percent of Amerins say they are “extremely” or “very” ncerned by book rtrictns schools, acrdg to a <a href=" target=_blank>March poll om Fox News</a>.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body grid-tablet-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div data-qa="article-image" class="hi-for-prt"><div style="m-height:358px"></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">It is also the se, said Skidmore College profsor Cathere Goln, who teach a class on 19th-century children’s lerature, that objectns are surgg bee the number of visual-rich picture books portrayg what ’s like to have gay parents or be transgenr has explod.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“Picture books are now takg the LGBTQ issu on,” she said. “And the picture mak easier to jump on , the picture mak easier to cricize, bee visualiz somethg that people might see as objectnable.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="mb-md"><iame tle="" aria-label="" id="datawrapper-chart-mafZR" src=" scrollg="no" ameBorr="0" width="100%" height="500" style="borr:none"></iame></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Parent challengers argue some picture books mt be banned to spare children uncertaty, mental health problems and racist beliefs.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Readg about genr inty will yield “social isolatn, vlence, hypersexualizatn … rced enomic opportuni, anxiety, prsn, lack of self inty, and so much more,” wrote Sashell Dragich Florida’s St. Johns County School District. Dragich,<b> </b>who did not rpond to requts for ment, was objectg to “<a href=" target=_blank>Peanut Go for the Gold</a>,” a book about a nonbary guea pig by Jonathan Van Ns, star of the Netflix seri “Queer Eye.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Sylvia Loosveldt Washgton state wrote a challenge that Ibram X. Kendi’s “<a href=" target=_blank>Antiracist Baby Picture Book</a>” should be pulled om schools bee “is teachg young stunts to bee racist” by “tellg young children they should look at others only on the basis of sk lor.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb dn db-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-sktop"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-none pt-lg pb-lg" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"><div>Advertisement</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Loosveldt said an terview that she beme aware of “Antiracist Baby” when a librarian iend wh the Kennewick School District flagged s prence two elementary schools. She read the book and grew disturbed, pecially by an image of a Whe kid climbg a plete ladr while a Black kid climbs a ladr that is broken at the top. Loosveldt, 64, is retired but said she spent more than three s teachg krgarten and first-gra, so she knows firsthand the stak of what go to children’s books.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“Those kids jt believe everythg that you tell them,” she said. “If teachers tell you you n be any genr you want, or that you’re bad bee you’re Whe, kids are gog to believe you.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body grid-tablet-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div data-qa="article-image" class="hi-for-prt"><div style="m-height:358px"></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Reactn om picture-book creators, meanwhile, range om bemed to heartbroken to fiant. Illtrator Juana said, “at this pot, I’m jt so filled wh disappotment and rage.” Zetta Elltt, thor of “A Place Insi of Me,” said she believ adults’ fixatn on certa kds of picture books reflects a disfort wh darker moments Amerin history, pecially episos of racism and police btaly.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“It flows om a certa group of parents who are aaid of havg difficult nversatns,” she said. “But this ia that adults should not be permted to help children terrogate difficult subjects is jt ludicro.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">And Rob Sanrs, thor of “Pri,” the book about assassated LGBTQ rights activist Harvey Milk, said he is far om shocked: He expected the tle would draw plats as soon as he penned 2015. He was spired to wre the book when he saw the Whe Hoe illumated rabow lors the night after the Supreme Court stck down the Defense of Marriage Act, pavg the way to legal regnn of same-sex marriage. A schoolteacher, he wanted his stunts to unrstand how the rabow flag me to reprent LGBTQ rights.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb dn db-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-sktop"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-none pt-lg pb-lg" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"><div>Advertisement</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Immediately after Sanrs’s book was published 2018, a parent his class plaed the tle was appropriate, preventg Sanrs om readg to his stunts for weeks. Siar plats have boiled up regularly across the untry sce, he said.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Sanrs said he has two msag for adults who dislike his books: First, parents should never make readg cisns for other people’s children. Send, he said, readg books about LGBTQ people will not turn young stunts gay, bisexual or transgenr.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“Look at me. I’m almost 65, I grew up readg only books that featured parents who were heterosexual and characters who experienced the world genr-normative ways,” Sanrs said. “Those books did not make me straight.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><h3 data-qa="article-hear" class=" pb-sm pt-md" id="5TTQWX3UXNBITCI5COTHOFMYMI"><div>Worry over pictns of race, police</div></h3></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">After books pictg LGBTQ liv, tl drawg the most objectns were those that alt wh race or policg — or both.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Twenty-five percent of challeng agast picture books targeted tl that have characters of lor or grapple wh racism. In addn to the 25 percent of challeng llg picture books “anti-police,” 12 percent of challeng alleged picture books were “racist,” makg that the seventh most-mon reason ced. Another 8 percent of challeng asserted picture books promoted “cril race theory” — a nservative tchall term for teachg about race emed polilly motivated — makg that the nth-most-mon reason.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="mb-md"><iame tle="" aria-label="" id="datawrapper-chart-Px5W4" src=" scrollg="no" ameBorr="0" width="100%" height="500" style="borr:none"></iame></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">In Nebraska’s Wa-Palisa Schools,<b> </b>Vansa Fanng filed to remove “<a href=" target=_blank>The Unfeated</a>” — a <a href=" target=_blank>Caltt Medal-wng</a> poem by Kwame Alexanr about Black Ameri — due to her ncerns that the book sends an<b> </b>“anti-police msage” and bee “suat whe liv do not matter.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">The book “divis children to two groups,” wrote Fanng,<b> </b>who cled to ment. “Those who look like the pictur and those who were ‘rponsible’ for those racial jtic. It keeps racism alive.” She add that the book “probably would make a child of a police officer unfortable.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">In New Jersey’s Wtfield Public Schools, a challenger — whose name school officials redacted — wrote a filg that “<a href=" target=_blank>Our Sk: A First Conversatn About Race</a>,” by Megan Madison and Jsi Ralli, li to children. The challenger quoted a le om the book statg that “Racism is … the thgs people do and the unfair l they make about race so that whe people get more power.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“Racism is not somethg that only whe people do or are pable of,” the challenger wrote. “As a Jewish Amerin, I have personally experienced racism based on my Jewish ethnicy, spe my sk lor beg what most would scribe as ‘whe.’ ”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb dn db-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-sktop"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-none pt-lg pb-lg" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"><div>Advertisement</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">And Texas’s Prosper Inpennt School District, another anonymized challenger sought to elimate “<a href=" target=_blank>When Wilma Rudolph Played Basketball</a>,” a bgraphy of a Black sprter who overme childhood pol to w Olympic medals and bee the fastt woman the world the 1960s. The book “op prejudice based on race,” the challenger wrote, potg to page 15, which picts Rudolph as sayg of segregatnist Ameri, “There’s somethg not right about all this … Whe folks got all the luxury, and we black folks got the dirty work.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">The book’s thor, Mark Weakland, said an terview that the quot on page 15 e om Rudolph herself: They are words she spoke.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Elltt, the thor of “A Place Insi of Me,” agreed that the subjects evoked that tle and other children’s books she’s wrten — cludg Ameri’s history of lynchg, gun vlence and btaly perpetrated by police agast Black cizens — are thorny. But that’s why her work is necsary, she said: There are lns of Black and Brown children the Uned Stat whose fai and muni do not have a healthy relatnship wh police.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“So what do you do wh this plited relatnship Black people have to the Uned Stat?” she said. “I wanted to wre somethg that would give a child an opportuny to honor all of their emotns.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body grid-tablet-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div data-qa="article-image" class="hi-for-prt"><div style="m-height:358px"></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Other reasons for challengg picture books varied.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">An adult Texas’s Plano Inpennt School District took issue wh “<a href=" target=_blank>Skippyjon Jon</a>,” by Judy Schachner, which tells the story of an adventuro kten who sgs, “My name is Skippo Frisko. / I fear not a sgle bando. / My manners are mellow, / I’m sweet like the Jell-O, / I get the job done, y ed-o.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“This book promot negative stereotyp towards Mexins and the Spanish language,” wrote the plaant. “Throughout the book -O is add to the end of the word to sound like Spanish.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Elsewhere the same state, an adult the Lamar Consolidated Inpennt School District objected to Col Hynson’s book “<a href=" target=_blank>You Wouldn’t Want to Be An In Mummy!</a>,” part of a seri which shows some of the ls wonrful aspects of ancient societi.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">The book “talks about child sacrifice … as if to be sacrificed is a ‘great honor,’” the challenger wrote. It “mak the subjects glamorized or they try to make appealg. … It troduc topics that children should not need to thk about durg elementary years.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null"><i>Story edg by Adam B. Khner. Copy edg by Dore Bethea. Dign by Lucy Naland.</i></p></div><div class="flex mt-md grid-center grid-body"><div class="mb-lg-mod" data-qa="ments-btn-div"><button aria-label="Scroll to the ments sectn" data-qa="ments-btn" class="wpds-c-kSOqLF wpds-c-kSOqLF-SQjOY-variant-sendary wpds-c-kSOqLF-eHdizY-nsy-flt wpds-c-kSOqLF-ejCoEP-in-left ments hi-for-prt"><svg xmlns=" viewBox="0 0 16 16" fill="currentColor" aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img" class="wpds-c-fBqPWp "><path d="M14 14V2H2v9.47h8.18L12.43 13ZM3 10.52V3h10v9.23l-2.5-1.66Z"></path></svg><span class="ral-unt unfed" data-ral-notext="te"></span> Comments</button></div><div class="wpds-c-dXjReQ"><button id="gift-share-shortcut" class="wpds-c-kSOqLF wpds-c-kSOqLF-SQjOY-variant-sendary wpds-c-kSOqLF-biynoz-nsy-pact wpds-c-kSOqLF-ejCoEP-in-left hi-for-prt ml-sm"><svg xmlns=" viewBox="0 0 16 16" fill="currentColor" aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img" class="wpds-c-dJBvpf "><path d="M10.73 5h.14a1.75 1.75 0 0 0 1-2.25 1.83 1.83 0 0 0-.51-.75 1.72 1.72 0 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attribut="[object Object]" class=""><span>Public librari are the latt ont culture war battle over books</span></div></div><div class="wpds-c-bZNrxE"><div data-ttid="text-rd-timtamp-earlier" class="wpds-c-iKQyrV wpds-c-gWbYHj">July 25, 2023</div></div></a></span></li><li class="wpds-c-hzLuJf wpds-c-hzLuJf-ibYjAXf-css"><span class="wpds-c-boVztI"><a href=" class="wpds-c-hJmLeM remove-borr-bottom"><div style="width:66%;marg:0" class="wpds-c-fixGjY"><div class="wpds-c-eQfTfP"><div href=" alt="‘Racist,’ ‘groomg’: Why parents are tryg to ban so many picture books lk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" data-qa="text-rd-lk" style="display:-webk-box;-webk-box-orient:vertil;-webk-le-clamp:4;text-overflow:ellipsis;transn:none" attribut="[object Object]" class=""><span>‘Racist,’ ‘groomg’: Why parents are tryg to ban so many picture books</span></div></div><div class="wpds-c-bZNrxE"><div data-ttid="text-rd-timtamp-earlier" class="wpds-c-iKQyrV wpds-c-gWbYHj">July 12, 2023</div></div></div><div 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picture books</span></div></div><div class="wpds-c-bZNrxE"><div data-ttid="text-rd-timtamp-earlier" class="wpds-c-iKQyrV wpds-c-gWbYHj">July 12, 2023</div></div></a></span></li></ul></div><button class="wpds-c-kSOqLF wpds-c-kSOqLF-SQjOY-variant-sendary wpds-c-kSOqLF-eHdizY-nsy-flt wpds-c-kSOqLF-hGNJMA-in-center wpds-c-kSOqLF-qcJLL-cv wpds-c-kSOqLF-ieqAhsM-css">View 3 more stori<svg xmlns=" viewBox="0 0 16 16" fill="currentColor" aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img" class="wpds-c-dJBvpf wpds-c-gmtmov"><path d="m3.38 6 .71-.71L8 9.25l3.91-3.92.71.71L8 10.67Z"></path></svg></button></div></div></div><div class="grid-center grid-body"><div></div></div></article><div class="centered-layout grid-layout"><div class="grid-center grid-mobile-full-bleed"><div class="hi-for-prt ml-to mr-to mt-md pt-lg recirc" data-qa="recirc"><div class="flex-l jtify-center hi-for-prt"><div class="pr-sm ml-sm ml-0-ns b-l br-l bc-gray-darkt more-om-post"><div></div><div class="dn db-l pb-md pt-md"><div 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gay parents story

Gay parents were lled "pedophil" and "rapists" while ridg an Amtrak tra on Tuday, amid a recent uptick charged rhetoric about LGBTQ issu.

Contents:

THE CHILDREN OF GAY PARENTS SPEAK FOR THEMSELV

Gov. Gav Newsom is takg on nservative Temecula Valley Unified school officials over textbooks that discs sla gay activist Harvey Milk. * gay parents story *

Gav Newsom and sla gay rights lear Harvey the ne-hour Temecula Valley Unified meetg, which ran past midnight, some parents spoke support of the nservative majory on the school board and s buckg of state standards for clive and diverse pated Newsom — who plans to send textbooks that reference Milk to Temecula stunts fiance of the board — as a “tyrant” who “forc his le” upon a district he knows nothg about.

” Conservative school board Print Joseph Komrosky, who lled Milk a “pedophile” and has been publicly fdg wh Newsom over the issue, asked sheriff puti on Tuday to remove a teacher om the meetg after she lled nservative board member Danny Gonzalez a “homophobe.

Children wh gay, lbian, transgenr or other sexual mory parents fare as well as, or better than, children wh parents of the oppose sex, acrdg to rearch published Monday BMJ Global Health, further unrmg a mon but unsupported argument agast equal marriage and adoptn as a growg number of stat enact laws curtailg LGBT+ rights. At the same time, 77 percent of Amerins say they are “extremely” or “very” ncerned by book rtrictns schools, acrdg to a March poll om Fox is also the se, said Skidmore College profsor Cathere Goln, who teach a class on 19th-century children’s lerature, that objectns are surgg bee the number of visual-rich picture books portrayg what ’s like to have gay parents or be transgenr has explod.

‘A FAY LIKE OURS’: PORTRAS OF GAY FATHERHOOD

For Father's Day, NPR spoke to three, gay sgle fathers who ma the choice to bee parents via surrogacy. * gay parents story *

Wright, her cisn now go to the school board, which will discs the book challenge at s Monday meetg agenda and vote on a cisn on Tallahassee mom who submted the challenge, Katie Lyons, said her dghter, then a send grar at a lol elementary school, brought home the children's book about Kg, a tennis legend who is gay — and also brought qutns to her mother about a page regardg Kg's sexual orientatn. "Lyons matas the book is ntrary to state law, largely cg the Parental Rights Edutn Act, dubbed "Don't Say Gay" by crics, which prohibs stctn on sexual orientatn or genr inty book challenge law:Florida schools stggle to apply new book law which even Shakpeare is 'spect'Why 's beg challenged:Tallahassee mom mak se that 'I am Billie Jean Kg' book 'g' on parents' rightsWright, her July 10 remendatn, unters that the book isn’t ed as “stctn” and poted to a clarifitn the Florida Department of Edutn issued statg that "cintal referenc" books to LGBTQ people are not also said a new law, HB 1069, directed each school district to adopt procs allowg parents to lim their child’s accs to library material. "The excln of one of the profil jt bee of the intifitn of the ma subject as homosexual is not the tentn of any law or statute passed by the Florida Legislature, " Syett Lyons said the parental book review procs is not enough to screen qutnable materials accsible to their stunts.

Allison, raised Connecticut and Vermont by her mom and her mom's partner: “As soon as I found out [my new school] had a gay-straight alliance I jt— was amazg, to know that there are other kids my age—to realize that they were supportive of LGBT people. Rearch published this year found that more than 400, 000 people who are gay, transgenr or non-bary had been subjected to someone tryg to change, “cure” or supprs their sexual orientatn or genr a letter to Sunak seen by the Guardian, those phg for the ban to be enacted speedily said the ernment’s “moral failg” not yet publishg the legislatn “should ncern all”.

From the tablishment of Lambda Legal as the first legal anizatn dited to fendg the rights of the muny 1973, to the first Natnal March on Washgton for Lbian and Gay rights, to the first few legal lgs support of same-sex marriage, LGBTQ fai began to ga legal legimacy amongst the broar muny. I’d e to ask if he wanted to -thor a children’s book about his own story – a story that formed part of the 2015 documentary Gayby Baby that I directed (y, that PG film about same-sex fai that was banned om schools by the New South Wal premier). In recent weeks, nservative policians and punds have been characterizg opponents of Florida’s newly enacted Parental Rights Edutn bill — dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill by s crics — as tryg to “groom” or “doctrate” children, and some s accg them of beg “pro-pedophile.

THREE SGLE, GAY DADS REFLECT ON FATHERHOOD, SURROGACY JOURNEYS

Dennis Patrick, The Story of a Gay Foster Parent, Child Welfare, Vol. 85, No. 2, SPECIAL ISSUE: LGBTQ Youth Child Welfare (March/April 2006), pp. 123-132 * gay parents story *

And om March 17 through April 6, Fox News aired 170 segments on transgenr issu and regularly characterized the legislatn’s opponents as “groomers” and “predators, ” acrdg to a report by Media Matters for Ameri, a liberal nonprof media word “groomg” has long been associated wh mischaracterizg LGBTQ people, particularly gay men and transgenr women, as child sex abers and had, at least the past , appeared to be relegated to the margs of the far-right and Broverman said this was not the first time their fay has had hate directed at them public. Unlike heterosexual parents and their children, however, lbian and gay parents and their children are often subject to prejudice bee of their sexual orientatn that n turn judg, legislators, profsnals, and the public agast them, sometim rultg negative out, such as loss of physil ctody, rtrictns on visatn, and prohibns agast adoptn (ACLU Lbian and Gay Rights Project, 2002; Appell, 2003; Patterson, Fulcher, & Waright, 2002). As this summary will show, the rults of existg rearch parg lbian and gay parents to heterosexual parents and children of lbian and gay parents to children of heterosexual parents are que clear: Common stereotyp are not supported by the data.

The relevance of this cricism has been greatly rced as rearch has expand to explore life a wir array of lbian mother and gay father fai (many of which have never lived through the divorce of a heterosexual uple), and as newer studi beg to clu a wir array of ntrol groups.

Other cricisms have been that most studi have been based on relatively small sampl, that there have been difficulti wh asssment procr employed some studi, and that the classifitn of parents as lbian, gay, or heterosexual has been problematic.

IT'S NOT JT ABOUT HAVG GAY PARENTS: WHY WE WROTE OUR KIDS' BOOK ABOUT QUEER FAI

It’s important to rist society’s attempts to fe our fai by sexualy alone, the Gayby Baby director says * gay parents story *

An expert readg of the Sarantakos article reveals that certa characteristics of s methodology and sample are highly likely to have skewed the rults and renred them an valid ditor of the well-beg of children raised by gay and lbian parents at least three rpects:. The children raised by gay and lbian parents experienced unually high levels of extreme social ostracism and overt hostily om other children and parents, which probably acunted for the former's lower levels of teractn and social tegratn wh peers (see pp. Some nonscientific anizatns have attempted to nvce urts that there is an actual scientific dispute this area by cg rearch performed by Pl Cameron as supportg the existence of fics gay and lbian parents or their children pared to heterosexual parents or their children.

Three ncerns have historilly been associated wh judicial cisn makg ctody ligatn and public polici erng foster re and adoptn: the belief that lbians and gay men are mentally ill, that lbians are ls maternal than heterosexual women, and that lbians' and gay men's relatnships wh sexual partners leave ltle time for ongog parent-child teractns (ACLU Lbian and Gay Rights Project, 2002; Falk, 1989, 1994; Patterson et al., 2002; Patterson & Reddg, 1996).

GAY PARENTS LLED 'RAPISTS' AND 'PEDOPHIL' AMTRAK CINT

* gay parents story *

Many years ago, the Amerin Psychiatric Associatn removed "homosexualy" om s list of mental disorrs, statg that "homosexualy per se impli no impairment judgment, stabily, reliabily, or general social or votnal pabili" (Amerin Psychiatric Associatn, 1974). The cisn to remove homosexual orientatn om the list of mental disorrs reflects extensive rearch nducted over three s showg that homosexual orientatn is not a psychologil maladjtment (Gonsrek, 1991; Hart, Roback, Ttler, Wez, Walston, & McKee, 1978; Reiss, 1980). There is no reliable evince that homosexual orientatn per se impairs psychologil functng, although the social and other circumstanc which lbians and gay men live, cludg exposure to wispread prejudice and discrimatn, often e acute distrs (Cochran, 2001; Freedman, 1971; Gonsrek, 1991; Hart et al., 1978; Hooker, 1957; Meyer, 2003; Reiss, 1980).

Beliefs that lbian and gay adults are not f parents likewise have no empiril foundatn (Anrssen, Amlie, & Ytteroy, 2002; Brewaeys & van Hall, 1997; Parks, 1998; Patterson, 2000; Patterson & Chan, 1996; Perr, 2002; Stacey & Biblarz, 2001; Tasker, 1999; Victor & Fish, 1995). A recent study of 256 lbian and gay parent fai found that, ntrast to patterns characterizg the majory of Amerin parents, very few lbian and gay parents reported any e of physil punishment (such as spankg) as a disciplary technique; stead, they were likely to report e of posive techniqu such as reasong (Johnson & O'Connor, 2002). Certaly, rearch has found no reasons to believe lbian mothers or gay fathers to be unf parents (Armto, 2002; Barret & Robson, 1990; Bigner & Bozett, 1990; Bigner & Jabsen, 1989a, 1989b; Bos et al., 2003, 2004; Bozett, 1980, 1989; Patterson, 1997; Patterson & Chan, 1996; Sbordone, 1993; Tasker & Golombok, 1997; Victor & Fish, 1995; Wton, 1991).

For stance, one such ncern is that children brought up by lbian mothers or gay fathers will show disturbanc genr inty and/or genr role behavr (Falk, 1989, 1994; Hchens & Kirkpatrick, 1985; Kleber, Howell, & Tibbs-Kleber, 1986; Patterson et al., 2002; Patterson & Reddg, 1996). For example, urts have exprsed fears that children the ctody of gay or lbian parents will be more vulnerable to mental breakdown, will exhib more adjtment difficulti and behavr problems, and will be ls psychologilly healthy than other children.

LBIAN AND GAY PARENTG

Inclus a summary of rearch fdgs on lbian mothers, gay fathers and their children, an annotated biblgraphy of the published psychologil lerature and addnal rourc relevant to lbian and gay parentg. * gay parents story *

Three aspects of sexual inty are nsired the rearch: genr inty, which ncerns a person's self-intifitn as male or female; genr-role behavr, which ncerns the extent to which a person's activi, occupatns, and the like are regard by the culture as mascule, feme, or both; and sexual orientatn, which refers to a person's choice of sexual partners, who may be homosexual, heterosexual, or bisexual (Money & Ehrhardt, 1972; Ste, 1993). Although some children have scribed enunters wh anti-gay remarks om peers (Gartrell et al., 2005), young adult offsprg of divorced lbian mothers did not rell beg the targets of any more childhood teasg or victimizatn than did the offsprg of divorced heterosexual mothers (Tasker & Golombok, 1995, 1997).

Studi of the relatnships wh adults among the children of lbian and gay parents have also rulted a generally posive picture (Brewaeys et al., 1997; Golombok et al., 1983; Harris & Turner, 1985/86; Kirkpatrick et al., 1981; Waright et al., 2004). Much of the existg rearch on lbian mothers, gay fathers, and their children was iated to addrs ncerns that arose for such fai the ntext of child ctody disput, and was apparently signed at least part to exame the veracy of mon stereotyp that have been voiced legal proceedgs. Bee young adolcents are often preoccupied wh their own emergg sexualy, is wily agreed that early adolcence is a particularly difficult time for youth to learn that a mother is lbian or a father is gay (Bozett, 1980; Penngton, 1987; Schulenberg, 1985).

In summary, rearch on diversy among fai wh lbian and gay parents and on the potential effects of such diversy on children is still sparse (Mart, 1993, 1998; Patterson, 1995b, 2000, 2001, 2004; Perr, 2002; Stacey & Biblarz, 2001; Tasker, 1999). It is clear that existg rearch provis no basis for believg that children's bt terts are served by fay nflict or secrecy about a parent's lbian or gay inty, or by requirements that a lbian or gay parent mata a hoehold separate om that of a same-sex partner. Although those om lbian fai were more likely to explore same-sex relatnships, particularly if their childhood fay environment was characterized by an openns and acceptance of lbian and gay relatnships, the large majory of children who grew up lbian fai intified as heterosexual.

10 THGS YOU’LL ONLY KNOW IF YOU’VE GROWN UP WH GAY PARENTS

Subjects evaluated vigt pictg eher a gay male uple or heterosexual uple and their adopted son along the dimensns of parentg abily, gree to which the child's problems were attributable to the parental relatnship, distrs of the child (cludg genr and sexual inty nfn), and the extent to which ctody reassignment was perceived to be beneficial.

A sgle qutn on relatnship satisfactn revealed no signifint difference between groups reported satisfactn, while the 32-em DAS revealed the gay parentg upl to be signifintly more satisfied wh their relatnships than the heterosexual upl, pecially the area of dyadic hn and affective exprsn. Four issu equently raised ctody s are discsed: Do gay fathers have children to ver their homosexualy, do they molt their children, do their children turn out to be gay disproportnate numbers, and do havg a gay father expose a child to homophobic harassment.

Qutnnair clud: the Nungser Homosexual Attus Inventory, the Ego-Dystonic Homosexualy Sle, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Sle, the Marlowe-Crowne Social Dirabily Sle, the Fay-of-Orig Sle, the Parent-Child Relatns Qutnnaire II, and a mographic sectn. Gay liberatn and fay polics, and the theoretil and empiril work on the hoehold divisn of labor by genr, this qualative analysis of 34 Northern California fai suggts that equable practic-a pattern of equal sharg-among the lbian parents are the norm.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* GAY PARENTS STORY

Three sgle, gay dads talk about their journeys. : NPR .

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