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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Trans books banned in children's library sections

191 replies

BeeSouriante · 04/07/2025 13:40

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c6257p2vry3o

Including kids books that just acknowledge the existence of trans people.

Obviously, this is a local Reform council, but would you call for a ban of books about trans people across the board?

Rows of books on shelves. The books are all different colours.

Kent council bans transgender books in children’s library section

KCC says the move came after a "concerned member of the public" contacted them.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c6257p2vry3o

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Dwimmer · 07/07/2025 12:28

RunSlowTalkFast · 07/07/2025 11:21

Nobody would bat an eyelid if it was a summer romance display with books full of sex or a murder mystery display around Halloween with books full of violence.

I would certainly ‘bat an eyelid’ at a display of books featuring horror, gore and violence that my child had to walk past to get to the children’s section. Lots of young children are very scared of Halloween costumes and imagery. And for those that are not, such books should not be presented to children, anymore than you should show ‘Saw 3’ on a screen a child could see.

RunSlowTalkFast · 07/07/2025 11:21

Dwimmer · 06/07/2025 16:49

Books unsuitable for children should not be displayed in the entrance to libraries, where children have to walk past to reach the children’s section, either.

Nobody would bat an eyelid if it was a summer romance display with books full of sex or a murder mystery display around Halloween with books full of violence.

Dwimmer · 07/07/2025 09:56

Neither is being Queer

We have already recognised the pushing of unsuitable books on children as Queer theory - the breaking down of social norms that is what Queer theory is all about includes those that exist to protect children from sexual abuse.

BundleBoogie · 07/07/2025 08:54

HonestAquaMember · 07/07/2025 08:20

Being trans isn't a kink. Neither is being Queer, Intersex, or Asexual, which is what the letters stand for.

The + also includes non-binary (not a kink) and a whole host of other things.

Being trans isn't a kink..

Some trans people are very clear that it is - those who got there through ‘sissy’ porn etc are quite open about that.

And they continues as an escalating element in their lives - only yesterday someone posted the social media of a trans identifying male who chose his dress specifically because it showed his nipples clearly.

BundleBoogie · 07/07/2025 08:47

ArabellaScott · 07/07/2025 08:24

Put it this way: is there anything that's excluded from the +?

This is the like ‘what rights do trans people lack’ question.

It has been asked many times but never answered. And as MAPs (paedophiles) are very keen to be included and no one has ever said no, they may assume it’s ok.

BundleBoogie · 07/07/2025 08:44

KerryAnnSalford · 04/07/2025 14:14

What has that extreme example got to do with trans people?

I’m glad you acknowledge that book is extreme. It promotes trans ideology (and fetish) to children and should be nowhere near them.

With reference to your previous comment, there are no innocent children’s books in trans ideology. They are designed to promote the idea that a child may be unhappy because they were born in the wrong body. That is not innocent.

ArabellaScott · 07/07/2025 08:24

Put it this way: is there anything that's excluded from the +?

ArabellaScott · 07/07/2025 08:22

HonestAquaMember · 07/07/2025 08:20

Being trans isn't a kink. Neither is being Queer, Intersex, or Asexual, which is what the letters stand for.

The + also includes non-binary (not a kink) and a whole host of other things.

What are the 'whole host'?

Does it include anything anyone feels like including, or.specific things?

HonestAquaMember · 07/07/2025 08:20

ScreamingBeans · 05/07/2025 14:22

You'd have thunk wouldn't you.

But that is exactly what force teaming LGB with TQIA+++ does. It deliberately places kink in the same sphere as LGB

Being trans isn't a kink. Neither is being Queer, Intersex, or Asexual, which is what the letters stand for.

The + also includes non-binary (not a kink) and a whole host of other things.

Kirova · 06/07/2025 20:58

Haha, I definitely had an, "Oh! Right..." moment too. I didn't like the Alex Gino books too much (although I'd agree they are readable) but I found the A.J. Sass ones better, mainly because they're about other things than the characters just being trans. But in a way, I feel more frustrated by those books, because while it would be refreshing to see gender-non-conforming characters represented in children's lit and learning that they can just be themselves, it seems like they have to become they/theirselves as the magic solution to all issues in their lives...

Mind you, if the trans people I know are anything to go by, the books representations of them as people who make LGBTQIAAP2S+ their whole identity is quite accurate...

Insanityisnotastrategy · 06/07/2025 20:52

@Kirova I've read a few too and I tend to find they're just about ok (as in readable) but writing and stories aren't that compelling. Very much 'issue' books that will be forgotten as the world moves on. Also, I probably shouldn't say this but I got quite a jump scare when I googled Alex Gino.

Kirova · 06/07/2025 20:44

I've read a bunch of trans-focused books, because I am always interested in seeing what they're like. Quite a few about non-binary characters, a couple of books by Sarah Hagger-Holt, a book by L.D. Lapinski about a trans enby character, the Alex Gino books, A.J. Sass... Many of them American but not all.

I kind of found them interesting (and slightly discombobulating) to read, but I don't think I'd want my daughters to read them at the reading ages for which they're intended. (Disclaimer: my daughters are currently 6, 5 and 18 months, so none of them are likely to be asking to read the books any time soon!)

GallantKumquat · 06/07/2025 19:16

AstonScrapingsNameChange · 06/07/2025 17:34

Some disingenuous whining upthread about how this equates to 'section 28 again' (a reference to when it was illegal for local authorities / schools to teach about being gay).

Gender ideology is deeply homophobic and tells children that if they are same sex attracted they must really be the opposite sex, and that being same sex (rather than same gender) attracted is genital fetishism.

Putting books about gender ideology in the adult section seems appropriate. No one is burning anything 🙄

Note that opponents to section 28 didn't refer to something else to make their case, same with opponents to Jim Crow. It's trans activism in particular prefers not to make its own case but rather use other causes to create sympathy for itself.

AstonScrapingsNameChange · 06/07/2025 17:34

Some disingenuous whining upthread about how this equates to 'section 28 again' (a reference to when it was illegal for local authorities / schools to teach about being gay).

Gender ideology is deeply homophobic and tells children that if they are same sex attracted they must really be the opposite sex, and that being same sex (rather than same gender) attracted is genital fetishism.

Putting books about gender ideology in the adult section seems appropriate. No one is burning anything 🙄

Dwimmer · 06/07/2025 16:49

Books unsuitable for children should not be displayed in the entrance to libraries, where children have to walk past to reach the children’s section, either.

POWNewcastleEastWallsend · 06/07/2025 16:05

None of the newspaper reports I have seen mention a Pride display.

However, the illustration in Kent Online features what looks like might be a Pride Display and it includes the Autism book that was the cause of complaint, "The Autistic Trans Guide to Life". Or it could be a general display that includes some "Pride books" - including one called "Pride".

I would have thought that if the book was part of a dedicated "Pride Display" that this would have been mentioned in the newspaper reports?

There does seem to have been some misunderstanding somewhere along the line in that the book was not in the Children's Section but was on display in a public area near the entrance where children could access it. It has now been moved from the "general public" area to the adult section of the library.

https://www.kentonline.co.uk/sittingbourne/news/reform-uk-council-leader-under-fire-over-trans-library-book-326683/

None of that invalidates the concerns expressed by PP about the suitability of some children's books that are promoted by librarians and are kept in the Children's Sections.

Reform UK council leader under fire over trans library book

The new Reform UK leadership at Kent County Council (KCC) is under fire for removing trans books from a library’s children’s section.

https://www.kentonline.co.uk/sittingbourne/news/reform-uk-council-leader-under-fire-over-trans-library-book-326683/

RunSlowTalkFast · 06/07/2025 14:51

Doesn't it say the book was in a pride display not in the children's section?

SquishedMallow · 06/07/2025 14:49

Good. Warping children's minds that they can change sex if they don't like frilly pink and dolls as a girl or football and dinosaurs as a boy should be illegal. Never mind advertising it in books in council run libraries.

MintIceCream2 · 06/07/2025 14:44

And it's the same reason I wouldn't want to see 'pro-ana' books in the children's section either. Well, in any section, come to think about it.

2024onwardsandup · 06/07/2025 14:37

ducksinarow123 · 04/07/2025 13:46

The worry is though that it start with banning trans books, but where does it end? Does it then ban gay books? Multi-racial families? Books about strong independent woman?
I am deeply against banning books, if you don’t want your children reading them - just don’t pick them up and read them to your kids. I find it very uncomfortable with that freedom of choice taken away

What do men with paraphilias have to do with any one those groups you’ve listed?

MintIceCream2 · 06/07/2025 14:35

BeeSouriante · 04/07/2025 15:04

So it's OK to mention trans people as long as you don't really mention trans people, but be explicit as to trans people exist and that's too much for you?

If this is what you mean then why? What other groups in society should not be talked about to children? Black people? Disabled people? What would be ideal in your society?

It's about protecting vulnerable children from a social contagion. One that takes advantage of vulnerable children with no idea of sex let alone gender 'identity'. That sees them being talked into wanting irreversible puberty blockers because they've been told they're "born wrong". It is not remotely the same as being gay or any actual minority. You think it's because we "hate" trans people. No. It's because we see a very dangerous social contagion and ideology that harms children.

Dwimmer · 06/07/2025 14:16

FreezeDriedStrawberries · 06/07/2025 03:18

I agree with this. Banning books isn't a road I think we should be going down. As you say, books about gay relationships would be happily banned by many people, for corruption of young minds and/or fear of social contagion etc .
Where does the line draw? Where you personally are comfortable with and then expect it to just stop?

So you think it is wrong to ban children from having access to porn?

MintIceCream2 · 06/07/2025 13:54

I don't think any books should be banned per se, but I think some books are inappropriate for children of certain ages.

Treaclewell · 06/07/2025 13:04

I'm sorry if someone has already posted this, I haven't read the whole thread, but I have read a report within Kent which explained that, according to librarians, there were no books dealing with trans issues in the children's sections of libraries in Kent before the Council (notable also for cancelling most commitee meetings) took pride in enacting that they should be removed. One book was in a general display somewhere in the Thames Estuary side of the county, which one parent complained about. It was intended as a resource for adults. Reform have done nothing. Except try to jump on the bandwagon. There are other much more important things they should be doing, and have slithered out of.

MsGoodenough · 06/07/2025 10:43

Ensuring a book aimed at adults is in the adult section is not book banning, it's just proper library management.

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