Patrick

Has anyone seen this story. A controversial book about a prince who finds his perfect mate in another prince has been banned from a library in NC, actually just banned from children taking it out. This has been going on for about week in our local papers, the town seems to have been going crazy and wanting the book banned completly, I think that the school was very forward thinking in only banning children from taking the book and not burning the book in some sort of Nazi party style ritual.

Personally I don't like censorship of any kind. I also think that by ignoring homosexuality it will not go away, this people have to accept it. Ignorance is bliss didn't work for the Holocaust, Darwins Theory of Evolution and discrimination, why should it work with homosexuality, surely education is better than is ignorance.

Patrick

ejay1

You have to understand that this is what happens in the south. People are more conservative in the southeast of the US, talking about gay people and race is taboo here.

Rockgurl

I certainly thought that there was an element of overreaction, and ignorance is rife everywhere, however, I do respect the parents right to choose. The whole issue of sex education is a difficult one, and it does depend hugely on the age group of the children. I'm not familiar with the American school system and don't know how old first graders are, but I get the impression this book was aimed at young children, maybe around 7-8? I think the idea of the story is quite quaint, but maybe the children are a little young to understand the implications of sex and sexuality. It's not a graphic novel of sex and debauchery, just a sweet little story about princes falling in love, but of course the implications are wider than that.

I am all for educating children to be open-minded, but I don't think having books available to young kids will do us any favors. It's too touchy a subject. However, once kids get to their teens then there is definite need for them to be educated in the fact that gay people exist. After all, many of them are already struggling with their own sexuality, as I was from around the age of 12 onwards. I would have loved there to have been some books available to me, and I really had to seek them out. It was difficult to find them. I have always been aware of sex from a young age and feel that I grew up with a broad-minded approach to it. If a kid is told it's bad and dirty then they will grow up repressed. Sexuality and gay issues are a part of that, as I don't think kids should be taught that there is only one type of sex. it should include the whole spectrum, but we should agree an age at which that is appropriate.

monster

We found this at our library about six months ago. Our sprogs loved it -it's a very funny book. But they are too young (6, 4, and 2) to realise it's not "normal". Hurrah for that I say.

Should it be banned? Only from the parents, I reckon.

NC Penguin

The US purports to embrace diversity and tolerance (at least through the medium of film and TV, e.g. entertainment) so if it does so through fiction, I think it's kind of hypocritical that its citizens shy away from aspects of sexuality.

Citizens, both adults and children have to understand that there's more to sexuality than just heterosexuality. The book in question shouldn't be banned IMHO. Children should be able to read this book but parents should have a choice about whether their child reads it.

I find it completely ironic that children in the US can play computer games containing graphic violence and sexuality as well as see this on TV and in films. It might be that some parents think their children would become "gay" after reading the "King and King" book. Those parents might do better to keep an eye on the aforementioned computer games, TV programs and films their children play and watch.

jaybob

I don't want homosexual themes introduced to my children. I would not be comfortable with that book in my childrens school. I don't want a homosexual precedence to be set, especially when it could appear as though it is an attempt by the gay lobby to influence children. When my children reach their teenage years they will have to make some informed decisions and I will have to accept those decisions. I would rather my children were hetrosexual, because of my own version of morality. However if they turn out not to be so, so be it, who they choose to sleep with is only one small part of their being. When children are teenagers they should be able to gain access to information to make their own informed decisions.In particular I do not want my children being taught about the morals of homosexuality at school. If that means that the morals of hetrosexuality are not discussed to ensure equality, fine.

Manc

If we assume the stance that "People don't choose to be gay" Then surely it wouldn't make a toss of difference what kids read?

jaybob

Exactly, I am not of the 'born that way' school of thought. In most cases I think it is a mixture of biology and environment. So to me it does make a difference.

veryfunny

You should move to TX, gee a new level of backwardness.

Rockgurl

What is a "gay lobby" out of interest? Am I a lobby or a hall? I always wondered that. Isn't it more likely that the book is a product of a single progressive author trying to change dinosaur views like yours? So, do you do think that a story involving a princess falling for a prince is an attempt to influence children by the heterosexual lobby? And if so then why aren't I straight, because I read all those books when I was a child. Thank you, but I don't need your kind of morality.

Jan Alaska

I would be quite happy for my children to read this book. I try very hard to make sure they have a balanced upbringing, by showing our youngsters that being homosexual is as natural as being heterosexual we can have some hope that in the future our homosexual population will be able to live thier lives as any other heterosexual couple might. If we dont teach our children understanding now the hate and prejudice will never end.

Jan

suzieque

I think it is a difficult one. I always talked to my daughter about everything (she's 9 now) and this is the sort of thing I would have read with her to help explain things with her but a little older it would just be looked at and giggled at I think. I do find having only lived in the South that US are a lot more conservative than us. I try to bring my daughter up with a liberal mind, but it is a lot harder for my husband (a yank) but after he has lived a few years in UK he is much better now.... I just hope now we are back here this stays.

Manc

So what would it take for you to become gay then?

Patrick

You're bringing back the childhood memories of my Dad quite distinctly saying "Bludy 'ell our Agnes, I does 'ope wun of our big strapping sons grows up t'be a ****ing fairy and have big dicks shove up his arse, just like me Grandfaver and his Grandfaver before him". Yes I fondly remember my Lancashire, rugby playing, smoking, drinking, fighting Father nurturing my brother towards a gay lifestyle to fulfill the family tradition. Your right, my brother wasn't born gay, my proud father guided him, instead of taking him to the working mens club, like he did me and my other straight brother, he would take my older brother to gay bars. Michael always got the extra savaloy.

At what point in gay peoples lifes are they nurtured towards homosexuality. How the hell does that work? I spent my entire youth playing football and then joined the army at 16, I spent my entire time during puberty and most of my early adult hood showering with other men. I do not have any gay tendencies what so ever yet I have seen more naked men in my life than naked women (and I have had the internet for 10 years!). I, on the other hand, have a gay brother - he was in every school play growing up, hated any sports and for all intense and purposes was a girl (except the penis bit). It is widely accepted that gay men are born with a fragile Y chromosome and gay women are born with a fragile X.

It must be spring, heres the first cuckoo!

Patrick

FYI, My Dad thinks that my brothers gayness is some kind of illness and that one day they will find a cure and he will be "normal" again. He's almost as ****ing insane as you!

lairdside

Sociological influences can create psychologically "confused" people, NOT homosexual people.

If their general confusion causes them to have issues with their percieved sexuality (I have seen this in sexual abuse cases in particular) it is a manifestation of their psychological confusion, not genuine sexual orientation.

The two IMHO have NOTHING in common.