Wednesday night's Banned Books Week Bedtime Selection was And Tango Makes Three by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson and illustrated by Henry Cole.
It tells the true story of 2 male penguins, Roy and Silo, who displayed homosexual behavior and were given an egg to care for by their zookeepers at the Central Park Zoo. It’s not hard to guess why this book topped this list of most challenged books every year from 2006 – 2010, except 2009 when it came in second.
The dreaded homosexual agenda…
As expected, a number of concerned parents rushed to have access to this book restricted for fear that it would instill a sense of tolerance and empathy in their still impressionable youths.
Most libraries did not concede and kept the book in regular circulation, but it of course became a lightning rod debate topic for both sides of gay rights debate.
Here’s the thing. In case you haven’t noticed, gay people are everywhere.
And they are to stay. How’s that old saying go?
Get used to it.
Accept the fact that your kids are going to see gay people everywhere.
They are at restaurants. They are at the movies. They are at school. They are walking their dog past your house. And some of them are going to even have families whether you like it or not.
There are opportunities everywhere for you kids to ask you what you may perceive as an awkward question. So why not tackle the issue head on?
While we were reading it, my daughter Olivia did ask "But, where's the mommy?"
Rather than sidestep the issue, my wife and and I explained to her that even though she has a mommy and daddy, some people have 2 daddies, or 2 mommies. And that others only have a mommy, or a daddy and every combination in between. She took a minute to think about it and then said "Just like Kelly's mommy and daddy don't live together?" referring to her older cousin who's parents are not together. We didn't stress the point that some people are gay, but rather that everyone's family is different.
Even if acceptance isn't your thing, you could always use this book to help your kids spot homosexuals so they can avoid them if you want. Because, that's your right whether I like it or not.
Everyone should look at this book as a teaching tool, even if what you’re teaching is in intolerance.
Banned Books Week
Celebrating the Freedom to Read: 09/27-10/03/15
http://www.bannedbooksweek.org
It tells the true story of 2 male penguins, Roy and Silo, who displayed homosexual behavior and were given an egg to care for by their zookeepers at the Central Park Zoo. It’s not hard to guess why this book topped this list of most challenged books every year from 2006 – 2010, except 2009 when it came in second.
The dreaded homosexual agenda…
As expected, a number of concerned parents rushed to have access to this book restricted for fear that it would instill a sense of tolerance and empathy in their still impressionable youths.
Most libraries did not concede and kept the book in regular circulation, but it of course became a lightning rod debate topic for both sides of gay rights debate.
Here’s the thing. In case you haven’t noticed, gay people are everywhere.
And they are to stay. How’s that old saying go?
Get used to it.
Accept the fact that your kids are going to see gay people everywhere.
They are at restaurants. They are at the movies. They are at school. They are walking their dog past your house. And some of them are going to even have families whether you like it or not.
There are opportunities everywhere for you kids to ask you what you may perceive as an awkward question. So why not tackle the issue head on?
While we were reading it, my daughter Olivia did ask "But, where's the mommy?"
Rather than sidestep the issue, my wife and and I explained to her that even though she has a mommy and daddy, some people have 2 daddies, or 2 mommies. And that others only have a mommy, or a daddy and every combination in between. She took a minute to think about it and then said "Just like Kelly's mommy and daddy don't live together?" referring to her older cousin who's parents are not together. We didn't stress the point that some people are gay, but rather that everyone's family is different.
Even if acceptance isn't your thing, you could always use this book to help your kids spot homosexuals so they can avoid them if you want. Because, that's your right whether I like it or not.
Everyone should look at this book as a teaching tool, even if what you’re teaching is in intolerance.
Banned Books Week
Celebrating the Freedom to Read: 09/27-10/03/15
http://www.bannedbooksweek.org
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