I requested that the Nashua Library move the picture book “Grandad’s Pride“, which features an image of half-naked men wearing bondage gear, to the parenting shelf where small kids won’t have access to it without a parent’s permission. My request was denied.
Related: Book Promoted by Nashua Library to Small Kids Features Bondage Gear
In her response, Director Jennifer McCormack says:
The illustration that you have questioned is an accurate representation of the kinds of people and costumes seen at a Pride festival and the text of the book focuses on the community’s collaboration on a local celebration and a family’s love for Grandad.
She believes that because men are parading around half-naked in gear that demonstrates their sexual fetishes at Pride events then that makes it appropriate to portray such attire in a picture book for small kids.
This summer men paraded completely naked at Pride events in Seattle and Toronto. Will we be seeing images portraying naked men in picture books at the library as well? Where is the line for what is appropriate for children? Haven’t we already crossed it?
A few years ago a topless woman marched in the Nashua Pride Parade. There have also been sexualized performances by drag performers in the Nashua Pride Drag Show in a public park. With adults celebrating their sexuality, you never know who is going to show up wearing something offensive or doing something offensive and that is why many parents of small children don’t bring them to Pride events because they want to protect them from adult behavior they are not ready for. Why should those same parents have their small kids exposed to adult themes in picture books at the library? The library is betraying these parents’ trust.
After I submitted my request to have the book moved, an even more horrific fact came out about the book. On X/Twitter it was pointed out that the book shows Grandad’s trunk containing sunglasses from the movie “Lolita” next to a paper labeled “MAP” and a Polaroid camera.
Lolita is a famous fictional story about a man who has a consensual sexual relationship with a 12-year-old girl. MAP stands for “Minor Attracted Persons,” in other words pedophiles. Polaroid cameras were used to make child porn back when having film developed risked exposing the photographer to prosecution. The juxtaposition of these items is obviously promoting pedophilia. The “LOVE IS LOVE IS LOVE” message in the trunk shows that the author believes that pedophilia is just another sexual orientation in the LGBTQIA+ rainbow.
Will the Nashua Library director and the trustees finally notice that this book is not appropriate for kids? They all seem to be under the spell of Queer Theory pushed by the American Library Association and I have no idea what will wake them up.
