Gay characters make problems for Scholastic
By Marjorie Kehe | 11.05.09
Will they or won’t they? That had been the question. Would a book with a pair of gay characters appear at Scholastic’s book fairs? If not, there was angry talk of a boycott. And if so, well, there is also angry talk of a boycott. 
The book in question is a novel called “Luv Ya Bunches” by Lauren Myracle. The book is aimed at readers ages 9 to 12 and it tells the story of four girls with nothing in common except that they are all named for flowers.
Basically, it’s a story of friendship and the trials and triumphs of growing up, but it appears that children’s book publishing giant Scholastic had a concern about including “Luv Ya Bunches” in its elementary school book fairs this fall due, in part, to the fact that one of the girls in story has a pair of same-sex parents. At least, that’s what was reported by School Library Journal.
“Don’t expect to see Lauren Myracle’s new book ‘Luv Ya Bunches’ at Scholastic school book fairs this year,” wrote SLJ. “It’s been censored – at least for now – due to its language and homosexual content.”
Myracle told SLJ that Scholastic had asked her to remove the gay characters from her story if she wanted to see the book carried at the fairs. She called the decision “appalling.” Scholastic defended the move. “Authors are often given the opportunity to make changes in the books to meet the norms of the various communities that host the fairs,” Kyle Good, a Scholastic spokeswoman told SLJ.
But now Scholastic says the book will appear – with gay characters intact – at middle school fairs in spring 2010.
A recent statement from the company says: “In an interview with School Library Journal, Scholastic stated that we are currently carrying ‘Luv Ya Bunches’ by Lauren Myracle in our school book clubs, where it has prominent placement and promotion. We also said that we were still reviewing the book for possible inclusion in our book fairs. Having completed our review of ‘Luv Ya Bunches,’ Scholastic Book Fairs will carry the title in our spring fairs for middle schools.”
And as a result of the announcement that the book will appear at the spring fairs, the Illinois Family Institute is already calling for a boycott.
It’s not the first time that Scholastic Book fairs have brushed up against “the norms of various communities.” As SLJ pointed out, “Last year, a Vancouver, WA, school district stopped sponsoring Scholastic book fairs after a parent complained about the sale of Philip Pullman’s … ‘The Golden Compass’ … saying that [the book] was un-Christian.” A parents group had to sponsor the fair instead.
But when it comes to this particular brouhaha, a blogger at StrollerDerby may have summed it up best: “Damned if you do, damned if you don’t, huh Scholastic?”
Marjorie Kehe is the Monitor’s book editor. You can follow her on Twitter at twitter.com/MarjorieKehe.
Comments
2. Toby | 11.06.09
I’m Bi and live in Vancouver, WA. I’m not surprised. But at least The Golden Compass actually IS written by a noted Atheist and is critical of the religious bureaucracy in the book. Lots of people have same-sex parents, what a goofy thing to protest.
3. ashley. | 11.06.09
Teaching kids to accept one another for their differences in each other and their families isn’t bad. Even if someone has same-sex parents.
4. Richard Meyer | 11.07.09
Surely books are a reflection of life and gay people appear in all societies. That’s life and to deny it is bigotry in the extreme. If we tried to erase everything to which we objected, then we would be no better than nazis who objected to Jews and tried to have them erased.
5. Nan | 11.07.09
As old as I am, it never fails to astound me at the narrow-mindedness of some. As the planet gets smaller and smaller, teaching tolerance (and forgiveness) should be a goal. It is far too easy to be judgemental and hostile. Raising healthy, broad minded kids should be our goal.
6. Megan B | 11.08.09
This ranks right up there with refusing to air an episode of Hannah Montana that showed Oliver having diabetes. (Luckily, Disney saw reason and is finally airing the episode, 10 months later.) Yes, nothing outside the healthy norm for our kids!
7. Ann | 11.15.09
I think it is important to teach tolerance and accept that difference exist but we don’t have to promote or condone a lifestyle that run contrary to the basic family unit that has sustained society for thousands of years.
8. Leigh | 11.15.09
It is not about teaching tolerance. It is about “normalizing” something that hurts society, children in particular. No one is saying gays do not exist. Nor is it about being narrow-minded. The only narrow-minded people here are those of you trying to belittle those whose opinion is different than yours! Look in the mirror-you will see a bigot! Apparently, the only opinion that matters is the homosexual opinion.If people do not want same-sex parenthood shoved down their children’s throats they have the right to express that.
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1. Michael | 11.05.09
Yes, parents, how dare we teach tolerance towards kids with same-sex parents, or tolerance towards same-sex parents. Oh, the horror!