Monday night, the local library’s exhibits and children’s books were the topics of discussion in Lincolnwood.
A novel with LGBTQ+ themes that was read to children this summer, according to residents in the northern suburb, was improper. Some people want kids’ books like this to be out of sight.
While some parents see it as a matter they want to regulate for their children, others argue that such a prohibition stigmatizes and excludes members of the LGBTQ+ community.
The library’s book policies have not changed; there has only been discussion. It is a topic that is being discussed more widely than ever before.
Respect, decency, and values were the main topics of discussion at a library board meeting, along with the choice of summer reading for children. The children’s book “The Hips on the Drag Queen Go Swish, Swish, Swish” was that choice.
Jen Mierisch stated, “So I went and found a copy of it. “I finished reading it all. It’s your typical picture book.”
During the discussion on Monday night, Mierisch defended the book. I went over it cover to cover looking for anything obscene, sexual, or filthy, and I found absolutely nothing, he claimed.
However, some people disagreed. “I never imagined that publications depicting graphic nudity would be read to my children without my permission,” claimed Cary Godstein.
Pamela Lefkowitz only suggested that your books be moved from the children’s department and placed in the adults’ section. Some members of the community take offense when the books are moved.
According to Tara Donnelly, placing books on restricted shelves stigmatizes both the book and the reader.
According to the American Library Association, there were 681 attempts to outlaw books in this nation in the first eight months of this year. They had 1,651 different titles in total. The most ever throughout that time period is that. The novels with the most challenges were those that dealt with LGBTQ+ issues.
According to Emily Knox, an associate professor at the University of Illinois School of Information Science, “this is a small piece of the bigger culture battles going on right now.”
Knox claims that unless the kids who are directly impacted speak up, library boards are typically not swayed. “Children themselves talking about why these books are essential to them has more of an influence than when you have a lot of adults yelling at each other about what kids believe,”
There were no youth speakers on Monday night because the book being discussed is aimed at younger children in this case.
It is important to emphasize that no policy change or proposed book bans are being discussed in Lincolnwood. Simply put, there was a lot of discussion regarding the books and information that should be given to children in Lincolnwood and elsewhere.