To think the library shouldn't stick rainbow stickers on any book by a GLBT author

[GothAnneGeddes]

I know it is probably well intentioned, but it just seems a really clunky way of doing it.

Do we need a rainbow sticker on Stephen Fry's autobiography? And if you didn't know an author was gay, would it matter if you found out they were?

Yep, absolutely ridiculous. By singling LGBT people out you're just reinforcing the idea of difference. Not very helpful at all!

In saying that my Nana may have appreciated the hint... She was shocked to discover that her favourite new author was a lesbian and absolutely mortified that she had been borrowing her books from the library. In her words: "The librarians probably thought I'd gone over to... 'the other side!'"

So like a parental guidance sticker on a cd? Books with sex in them dint usually. What is the usual point/use of these stickers?

Which library? It is literally unbelievable a library would put stickers to denote LGBT authors.

A polo mint sprung to mind.

maybe it's to warn Daily Mail readers to stop them writing angry letters to the council

I bet the library didn't do it. Just some passer-by. I'd ask them to explain.

We must protect the general library population from the horror of gay books.

One would think it obvious....

Sorry, don't want to be controversial but are people actually disbelieveong the op? Have I missed somehing?

Rosemaryandthyme - and what exactly is an LGBT act as opposed to a heterosexual one?? 99% of the time they are just doing the same things???

Drinking in a gay bar?

I took my family into a gay bar for a drink before DB's graduation (The Pineapple in Bristol). Was the only place not packed out.

I don't see why this is an issue. There is a LGB book week (or maybe it is a month) at our local library, or maybe it is a national thing. Sorry that I'm being a bit vague; I didn't pay that much attention at the time.

Also, sometimes there is a display of LGB books, much as there are often displays of books on other subjects and groups. The library puts stickers on all the books that are part of the weekly/monthly theme. They put stickers on groups of books for all sorts of reasons.

Why would only LGB people want to read books about gay people? That is just a bizarre assumption for posters on this thread to make. Sometimes I particularly want to read books about LGB characters, and I'm straight. A rainbow sticker doesn't mean you are not the intended audience!

(sticks rainbow sticker over Georgi's post)

Sorry to go off topic OP.....

ooops....hiddenhome no offence intended to the Methodists (lovely people very proactive here) interesting about the rainbow link.

It was brought to my attention by one of the other 4 we just giggled at the thought of our little, very straight village being so proactive in LGBT issues!!

millyr I think the point is that most people don't give a shit what an author does with their genitals. An LGBT theme month sounds terribly try hard to me.

It is about the books, not the authors.

Hopefully most people don't think that homosexuality is just about what people do with their genitals.

Saying it is just about what people do with their genitals is being deliberately obtuse.

Rather like saying you don't care about To Kill a Mocking Bird because who cares what somebody's skin tone is.

gin - I'm thinking if a little sticker helps people choose books they like its OK no ?

It depends on whether you think someone's sexuality defines them. I don't think it does. Nor does skin colour come to that.

I think sexuality is part of what defines people. In much the same way that gender is part of what defines people, and many course modules will be on women's literature.

It isn't some either/or situation where we have to either stereotype people or completely ignore difference. Most people can relate to each other and books in a more sophisticated way than that.

Oh dear. Well I'm sorry not to be adequately sophisticated for a clunking rainbow sticker on a library book.

They do this in our library. The librarian got quite arsy when I asked her to point me to the specific section for menopausal, middle class, Putney mothers on the basis we are just as entitled to our own section as the GBLT library members.

Maybe it is more that it is not something that particularly interests you, which is fair enough. I'm not interested in crime fiction or contemporary heterosexual romance, but I think it is okay that the library puts all those books in particular sections and puts stickers on them.

Sexuality is part of what defines people - but is it necessarily part of what defines their writing?

Er no, good books interest me regardless of who wrote them, what colour they are/were, who or what they like/liked shagging, wearing etc.