Authors take stand against calls to ban their work

Posted on September 28, 2008
Filed Under Gay News Blog

The penguins are so controversial that some want their story banned from the shelves of libraries and schools.

In fact, so many have tried that for the second year in a row, “And Tango Makes Three,” the true story of two male penguins at New York’s Central Park Zoo who raised a baby penguin, has topped the American Library Association’s list of “most frequently challenged books.”

On Saturday, dozens gathered at Pioneer Court in downtown Chicago to hear authors read their controversial work and celebrate the right for books to exist, even if some find them offensive. The event, which was co-sponsored by the Chicago Tribune, marked the 27th observance of Banned Books Week.

Last year, there were 420 “challenges,” or formal, written complaints filed with libraries or schools requesting that materials be removed because of content or inappropriateness, according to the American Library Association’s office for intellectual freedom. “What we’re basically saying is our rights are fragile,” said Judith Krug, director of the intellectual freedom office. “If we don’t use them we’re going to lose them.”

Justin Richardson, co-author of “And Tango Makes Three,” said the book has stirred misplaced fears among some parents who believe their children are more likely to become gay if they learn about gay families at a young age.

Authors take stand against calls to ban their work
Chicago Tribune, United States -