King and King and fallout

On May 9, the Oklahoma House passed (81-3) HR 1039, a nonbinding resolution asking libraries to restrict children's access to materials with homosexual themes. Rep. Sally Kern (R-Oklahoma City), who introduced the resolution, insists that legislators are not trying to ban books, but believes "there are some issues little children aren't emotionally equipped to tackle, and many parents believe the issue of sexual preference is one of them." (Quoted in American Libraries.)

The Louisiana House defeated a similar resolution on May 24. It too was inspired by a Representative's constituent being disturbed that their child had checked out King and King, a picture book fairy tale in which a prince marries another prince. The Louisiana resolution had removed language which specified gay-themed materials.

On the national level, H.R. 2295, the "Parental Empowerment Act of 2005" introduced by Rep. Walter Jones (R-N.C.) would block federal Education Department funding to states unless each local education agency establishes a "parent review and empowerment council" to vet the acquisition of all library and classroom materials except textbooks. (Rep. Jones had read in the Wilmington (N.C.) Star-News that a 7-year-old had checked King and King out of the school library.

The Upper Arlington (OH) Public Library doesn't own King and King, but they do have free community newspapers available in their buildings -- including Outlook Weekly and Gay People’s Chronicle. Mark Bloom, with the assistance of his children, have been throwing the papers in the trash. Bloom is joined by city council member Tim Rankin, calling for the removal of all "sexually provocative materials" from the library. Coverage in American Libraries, the Columbus Dispatch, and (of course) the targeted newspapers.

[Update September 23: the Upper Arlington library board voted September 20 not to ban the gay papers, and to create new shelving to accomodate all free publications]