Library Event Cancelations, Changes, and Support for Pride Month 2023

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Kelly is a former librarian and a long-time blogger at STACKED. She’s the editor/writer of (DON’T) CALL ME CRAZY: 33 VOICES START THE CONVERSATION ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH and the editor/writer of HERE WE ARE: FEMINISM FOR THE REAL WORLD. Her subsequent e book, BODY TALK, will publish in Fall 2020. Follow her on Instagram @heykellyjensen.

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It ought to come as no shock within the wake of ongoing e book bans and Pride pushback that when once more, June comes and goes with a bunch of library-sponsored storytimes, e book shows, and occasions being bombarded with hate. In some circumstances, that hate led to the cancelation or disruption of occasions, and in different circumstances, libraries had been capable of carry ahead providing supplies and actions serving the whole thing of their neighborhood — not simply the vocal minority.

Lil Miss Hot Mess, writer of The Hips on the Drag Queen Go Swish, Swish, Swish, a preferred storytime possibility for Pride-themed drag queen storytimes, is a board member of Drag Story Hour. I reached out to her to speak a bit about what she has seen and skilled when it comes to Pride this yr in relation to library and neighborhood occasions. “From my own personal experience (I, unfortunately, don’t have data for Drag Story Hour as a whole), it seemed that there were more events this year. I know I certainly received my typical number of requests for Pride bookings (or maybe even more), and I felt like I was seeing event listings all over the country.”

She says this with a caveat, noting that there gave the impression to be a slight shift in the place the requests had been rising.

“Many were produced by bookstores, other small businesses, and Pride festivals, so it’s possible that the number of events held by public libraries themselves had declined. I think we’re in a paradoxical moment: because of the backlash against drag story hours, we’ve received more and more press — but the good news is that more and more communities are eager to organize and attend drag story hours.”

Lil Miss Hot Mess reads to children and adults from her book. Photo by Tammy Orr Wyant / MOCA Tucson. — Lil Miss Hot Mess reads to youngsters and adults from her e book. Photo by Tammy Orr Wyant / MOCA Tucson.

Lil Miss Hot Mess says that Pride is a time when she and fellow Drag neighborhood members get the chance to shine. This yr, with altering laws, rising hatred, and elevated fears round what could or is probably not obtained by a neighborhood, the air round these occasions felt a bit completely different.

“I think many of us felt a bit of extra fear and anxiety approaching our events as we’ve seen the intensification of backlash, including very credible reports that groups like the Proud Boys were mobilizing especially hard to target this year’s Pride celebrations and story hours,” she defined. “And while there were certainly protests and threats from these groups, thankfully our chapters and storytellers were especially prepared to keep our communities safe and keep our events focused on the magic of drag and reading. I mean, it’s ridiculous that we live in a country where we need to do safety trainings and make security plans just to read to children, but they certainly helped give me more peace of mind. To be honest, I had some sleepless nights before events, but at the end of Pride, I breathed a huge sigh of relief that we were able to demonstrate that the show must go on!”

Find under a roundup of tales highlighting this yr’s challenges throughout the nation particularly associated to Pride, plus a few bonus non-U.S. tales. These are damaged up by e book shows, books gone “missing,” drag storytimes and different Pride occasions, with a bonus class that highlights issues that don’t match neatly within the earlier three. As needs to be clear by now, these are solely tales being shared within the media, and within the circumstances of libraries being hit by CatholicVote’s “Hide the Pride,” I’ve elected to take that group at its face worth within the claims they product of success, even when native media didn’t cowl the story. Why? Because the media is itself complicit on this ongoing fascism, given how a lot is buried behind paywalls (which you’ll see loads of right here, too). In some circumstances — whether or not or not it’s the applicable resolution — libraries elect to not publicize what has occurred and/or are unaware they grew to become targets of the coordinated effort. In different circumstances, the dialogue occurred on social media and/or in board conferences, with no publicizing past that. I’ve not included tales the place there is no such thing as a hyperlink to one thing.

It is value noting, too, that public libraries within the U.S. start getting ready in the event that they haven’t for what the conservative writer Brave Books plans for “events” throughout the nation August 5.

Lil Miss Hot Mess reminds everybody, too, to not overlook to maintain preventing for Pride and LGBTQ+ individuals exterior of Pride month. The stakes are too excessive, particularly not.

“It’s great to celebrate Pride in June, but I think we need to remember to be supportive of intersectional LGBTQ+ people and stories all year long. Drag Story Hour shouldn’t just be once a year, but should be once a month (or more), so kids have opportunities not just for a taste of queer culture and history, but to really go deep in understanding and celebrating what makes us all special. And similarly, LGBTQ+ books shouldn’t just be for drag story hours, but should be included regularly in displays, book reviews, and all sorts of programming.”

assorted-color led lights — Photo by Jason Leung on Unsplash

Pride Display Dismantling, Complaints

After complaints about Pride shows in 2021, Orem Public Library (UT) banned them in 2022, later including any shows honoring heritage months. This yr, there was no Pride show, however the library was threatened with a lawsuit in the event that they selected to not create a Pride show by the tip of June. Keep an eye fixed out on this one because the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression prepares to sue the library for violating First Amendment Rights. This is a posh, difficult story and the article right here lays out the historical past resulting in this second properly.

Prior to the start of June, Mid-Continent Public Library System — the biggest in Missouri — applied insurance policies that ban Pride shows in youngsters’s and younger grownup areas of the library, even with materials designated for these age teams. The resolution comes not by the hands of the library however the state, which has applied among the most damaging laws towards LGBTQ+ books within the nation.

Lafayette Parish Public Library (Louisiana) has banned Pride shows from the power. These aren’t the one shows impacted, although, by the choice which got here down from the library director. Women’s History and Black History Month shows will seemingly not happen anymore, both. Why? Well, it’s not as a result of they’re not allowed. It’s to be “proactive” in not encouraging e book banners to ban the books on show. This is censorship, should you’re questioning.

Here’s a narrative that performed out all June lengthy. The E.G. Fisher Public Library in Athens, Tennessee, put up a show at first of the month, however it shortly acquired eliminated. Citizens confirmed as much as town council to ask what occurred and demand the library put the show again up. This preliminary story is somewhat dodgy on particulars, however it notes that the mayor and vice mayor had been approached by residents sad with the show. A report from a Tennessee information station talked concerning the chilling impact their anti-drag regulation has had on Pride month and, because it seems, the vice mayor from Athens stated that town council talked with the librarian concerning the show, saying that libraries ought to stay impartial (public libraries actually screwed themselves over ever enjoying into this false thought of “neutrality,” and this can be a nice instance as to why). An ethics investigation was opened within the case, and whereas town lawyer didn’t imagine there was a violation — bear in mind, that is the mayor and vice mayor who demanded the show be taken down — the library’s response was that they had been afraid in the event that they didn’t take away it, they’d lose their funding. This isn’t an unfounded concern, given developments within the nation, and extra, that is additionally a textbook instance of Big C censorship.

The J. Robert Jamerson Memorial Library in Appomattox, Virginia, eliminated a Pride show after complaints. Then the county board of supervisors determined to fireplace the library board as a response. Some of the library board was reinstated although. This story is a terrifying instance of presidency overreach on so many ranges.

Oconee County Library in Watkinsville, Georgia, got here below hearth from native right-wingers over Pride e book shows. There was truly no information story on this — not less than out there on-line — however this story was submitted to the native Reddit web page and the feedback are value studying. I’m not completely certain whether or not the show remained or was eliminated, however among the Pride show complainers additionally appeared to lodge complaints a couple of e book learn throughout story time, as that did make the native information. The story is unclear, although: apparently the e book was not authorised by the library board — bear in mind, this isn’t the job of the library board to approve books or programming — and now town council goes to determine the right way to make that a part of their job.

The Erie County Public Library system in Pennsylvania was hit with complaints over a Pride show within the youngsters’s space of the Blasco library. In response to the criticism, the director allegedly stated the show needed to come down, so it was eliminated. But then the workers had been additionally not allowed to talk on the problem in any respect, and within the story that’s paywalled for me, somebody steered that the show was merely taken down as a result of such shows honoring identification have by no means been changed earlier than. In place of the Pride show that was dismantled, there was a sign put up explaining why it was eliminated and not changed.

In what has now been a two-year-long battle, Travelers Rest Public Library, a part of the Greenville system in South Carolina, put up a Pride show. There had been complaints about such shows within the system final yr, and library administration stated no extra could be allowed. The department supervisor in Travelers Rest determined to go for it anyway because of a loophole within the board’s coverage from final yr — kudos to them! — and the show was capable of keep up, due to the tune of an additional $25,000 in safety being put in place for that department. It may be very attainable the board will outright ban Pride shows subsequent yr.

County Commissioner Chris Latvala complained a couple of Pride show at Palm Harbor Library in Florida, so naturally, the show disappeared. Nice fascism proper there.

North Shelby Library in Alabama heard dozens of complaints (and heard assist) over a Pride show within the youngsters’s space. The show stayed up.

And in a small Arizona public library, “[w]hen the Prescott Valley Public Library created a small display for Pride in the children’s section of the library, representatives from the Prescott Valley Republican Women and Granite Mountain Republican Women’s group harassed librarians. Women from the group called for librarians to resign from their positions or requested they be fired, says Freibott.” How embarrassing to think about your self a patriot and that you just defend liberty and justice for all and you spend your time demanding e book shows be eliminated and librarians deserve harassment?

man in black jacket standing near brown wooden book shelves — Photo by Alexei Maridashvili on Unsplash

“Hide The Pride” and Disappearing LGBTQ+ Books on Pride Displays

A development value listening to on this roundup: there are quite a lot of occasions that acquired canceled, however there are an equal quantity — or extra — which carried forth, even after complaints.

Before diving into the less-great information, how about we start with a optimistic story? Peabody Public Library in Columbia City, Indiana, knew there had been pushback towards Pride of their neighborhood. So what they did was try all the books on show to learn and rejoice them. We know the distinction between this story and ones to come back is that patrons picked them as much as be pleased with them, to learn them, to assist the library’s shows and circulation numbers, and to return them when they’re due.

Ferndale Public Library (Michigan) was hit early by the “Hide the Pride” marketing campaign. They publicized it instantly, which additionally meant they might take pleasure in some good publicity after they restocked their cabinets with much more LGBTQ+ books.

Rancho Penasquitos, a department library of the San Diego Public Library System (CA), noticed protesters try the books on the Pride show. It’s not talked about whether or not or not this was a selected “Hide the Pride” initiative or a response to not getting occasions canceled like they wished throughout the system.

Twenty books had been checked out within the Essex Library in Connecticut. Again, this doesn’t title “Hide the Pride,” however it was executed in protest.

We do know that Greenwich Public Library (CT) was hit by “Hide the Pride.”

Louisville Public Library (KY) additionally acquired hit by “Hide the Pride.”

CatholicVote claims “Hide the Pride” hit a department of the Chicago Public Library (the place the one who did the crime additionally requested a show window concerning the Blessed Mary and acquired it), Santa Clarita Public Library (CA), Huntsville-Madison County Public Library (AL), Arapahoe Library District (CO), and Spring Branch Memorial Library (TX).

image of a drag queen holding a sign saying

Drag & Pride Storytime, Event Cancelations

“I know it’s an incredibly difficult time for librarians (and educators of all stripes), but they’re some of the best fighters for freedom, so I hope our communities will show their support for them and their programming as well. This means showing up to events, writing letters or emails of support, showing up to library board meetings, and all that jazz, so that we drown out the vocal minority (because they are a minority!) crusading against LGBTQ+ books and programs,” stated Lil Miss Hot Mess. She emphasised that, “[t]his is especially important in public libraries: we need to remind the haters that LGBTQ+ people are part of our communities, and libraries (like all public institutions) have a responsibility to reflect the many diversities among us. We need to be sure not to normalize this bigotry, and instead to remind people that their hatred has no place here.”

After receiving threats, the Tigard Public Library (OR) canceled their Drag Queen Storytime out of an abundance of warning. This explicit library was focused due to a Fox News article calling them out as a library providing such an occasion. It is unimaginable to not see the ties between the 2.

The Weeks Memorial Library in Lancaster, New Hampshire, was providing its area for a drag story time to be hosted by White Mountains Pride. They acquired so many complaints, together with a web based petition, that the occasion was canceled (although it was not a library occasion).

At Virginia M. Tutt Library (Indiana), the Proud Boys confirmed as much as storm a rainbow storytime. They had been carrying white supremacist symbols and grew to become so intimidating, the library canceled the occasion. Who is the true hazard right here?

St. Kilda Public Library in Australia canceled their drag storytime. In different components of the world, Elgin Library in Moray, Scotland, additionally canceled a drag story time

New York’s Woodstock Library noticed pushback for internet hosting a drag story time, however they voted to maintain it going, regardless of protests.

Shelby Public Library in North Carolina held a Pride craft occasion. Then the bigots got here to complain, and they went straight to town council, fairly than the library board. They steered that the library be defunded due to this occasion (it didn’t occur, and the occasion occurred, too).

The metropolis supervisor of Ketchikan Public Library (AK) stated no drag queen storytime this yr, following the identical resolution made by town council.

Cobleigh Library in Vermont noticed protestors present as much as a poetry studying held by a neighborhood queer, Black poet. They ended the occasion early for everybody’s security. “An hour into the event, which St. Negritude described as ‘a very simple gathering … for anyone to bring a book and to read aloud your favorite queer poet,’ library staff alerted him to a small group of protesters who were standing outside holding signs with religious slogans such as ‘Prepare to meet thy God.’”

Two tales hit my neck of the woods this month, and each had been worthy of the most effective dramatic performing by the bigots. First: protestors had been mad that Rockton Public Library (IL) plans to host an occasion with a drag queen for teenagers about make-up and styling. The occasion was purported to be in individual however moved to digital. The disaster actors wished it canceled and created every kind of attention-grabbing conspiracy theories concerning the occasion (have a look at all the older white individuals on this photograph and the kids they’re actively grooming to be hateful). The occasion will occur. Down the street in Belvidere, the Ida Public Library handled individuals mad a couple of rainbow get together with some Pride-themed crafts (the occasion went on).

Glendale, California, canceled its library drag queen storytime. This story has fewer particulars than most, although it’s attention-grabbing the identical drag artist attended an occasion the identical morning this one was canceled.

Even although a gaggle of pastors in Mobile, Alabama, believed their hatred was extra necessary than the rights of everybody else of their neighborhood, town library’s “taxpayer-funded” drag storytime carried on. They love that “taxpayer-funded” bit, as if their tax-exempt spiritual establishments deserve any say about it.

At the Wilmette Public Library (IL), a lone protestor was mad a couple of rainbow storytime. The attendees pushed again by way of loud singing. This is the instance to set for children. It’s too dangerous children shouldn’t must be uncovered to this hatred within the first place.

I’m together with a narrative right here with out a hyperlink, however which I engaged personally. The Deerfield Public Library (IL) confronted an onslaught of harassment for internet hosting a rainbow storytime in June. The occasion went ahead with out incident, however previous to it, they obtained not solely complaints however a flood of assist (in keeping with director Amy E. Falasz-Peterson, “This past week, we have been overwhelmed with the outpouring of support and love from our Deerfield community, neighboring communities, and library colleagues around the nation. We have received over 100 emails of support. You’ve spoiled us with cookies, bagels, flowers, and encouragement. The Deerfield Public Library supports lifelong learning and we strive to make our library an inclusive place by offering a wide variety of programs. We believe that it is up to each individual to determine what programs fit the needs of their family.”

And possibly one in all my favourite tales of library Pride panic is that this one: the Athens, Ohio, library acquired some publicity from one man decided to assert they’ve a homosexual agenda, so the native newspaper went to set the report straight. Guess who doesn’t look good on this story?

a building with a sign that reads public library — Photo by chris robert on Unsplash

Final Words from Lil Miss Hot Mess

the hips on the drag queen go swish swish swish book cover

When requested about her personal experiences with Pride this yr, Lil Miss Hot Mess shared one in all her favourite experiences and the place and how 2023 felt completely different than years prior. “I got to host a story hour at Seattle’s PrideFest and appear on their mainstage. It’s truly so special to see kids and families turn out for these events, and to see so many kids dress up in their most sparkly and fabulous outfits, and sing and dance along to my books and others! I’m not one who thinks that all Pride activities need to be kid-friendly, but it truly brings me joy to create unique spaces where kids can creatively express themselves, test out the waters of their identities, and be part of queer communities and histories,” she stated.

“Overall, it was also very moving to see Pride become a bit more political again: it’s great to have a party, but this year, it really felt like there was a greater consciousness that we need to fight for our rights, and especially for justice for the most targeted among us.”

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