News (World)

City official’s hateful tantrum leads to city banning all books on LGBTQ+ parents

The councilman was triggered by an innocuous book about showing kids that all families "are different but equally loving."
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The cover of "Same-Sex Parents" by Holly Duhig. Two dads smile with their child.
The cover of "Same-Sex Parents" by Holly Duhig Photo: Amazon

The Cumberland City Council in Sydney, Australia, has voted to ban all same-sex parenting books from the eight local libraries it oversees. The move was spurred by Councillor Steve Christou – former Mayor of Cumberland City Council – who posted on X last month claiming that he received complaints from local residents about a book called Same-Sex Parents by Holly Duhig being on display in the kids section at one of the council-run libraries.

The book’s description on Amazon says it “explores same-sex parents, equips children with the confidence to answer questions, and shows that all families are different but equally loving.”

Related:

Ruby Bridges blasts book bans as “ridiculous” attempts to “cover up history”

“The history, all the subject matter that they want to ban, it’s happening in the world.”

Christou told the council the book was sexualizing children and that its placement in the kids section was “really disturbing,” according to The Guardian. He said parents who contacted him were “distraught” over it and emphasized that they live in “a very religious” and “very family-oriented” community that does not “want such controversial issues against their beliefs indoctrinated to their libraries.”

Equality Australia legal director Ghassan Kassisieh vehemently disagreed, saying that the book is ” part of an age-appropriate series about different types of families, and the attempt to erase local families off library shelves sinks well below the standard that should be set by our elected representatives.”

Council Mayor Lisa Lake said she was “appalled and saddened” by the decision. “We work really hard at council to foster a spirit of inclusion and talk about everybody feeling welcome,” Lake said. “As long as parents are loving families, that’s what’s important.”

Lynda Voltz, a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly (Cumberland City Council is located in New South Wales), expressed concern that the Council’s decision to ban same-sex parenting books violates the state’s anti-discrimination act.

John Graham, New South Wales arts minister, agreed with Voltz.

“When civilizations turn to burning books or banning books it is a very bad sign,” he said. “That is equally true for local councils.” He added that the ban may result in a loss of government funding to the library system.

In Christou’s post on X, he slammed the Council for supporting LGBTQ+ people during the current term, decrying the fact that it expressed support for six weeks of extra leave for folks “for staff that want to have a sex change” and that it initially supporting drag story hours until “hundreds of residents stormed the Council Chambers to voice their concerns.”

“It is my firm belief that the above issues go firmly against the majority of our communities religious beliefs and family values,” he concluded.

Reactions to Christou’s post were mixed, with many supporting his anti-LGBTQ+ crusade and many criticizing him.

One user commented, “Well aren’t you a turd then,” while another told him to “stop thinking you have a right to tell anyone what they can or can’t read.”

Several users called him out for failing to support free speech, and one woman who identified as a lesbian parent called his views “abhorrent and illegal.”

“Shame on you,” another said. “Banning books is the lowest form of censure in the public arena. Librarians are highly trained and should be left to do their job – not be second-guessed by wowsers clutching their pearls. You will not win this fight.”

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