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Pornography!

por·nog·ra·phy n. 1. Sexually explicit pictures, writing, or other material whose primary purpose is to cause sexual arousal.

We’re in the middle of 2007’s Banned Books Week and thought I’d share just one of the many reasons used by complainants to have a book taken out of circulation, both school and public libraries, and it is pornography.

Even though it’s common sense, let me be perfectly clear on at least one thing: it is entirely up to parents, not strangers, to decide what words and images their children are exposed to and when. The American Library Association [ALA] has a policy that basically states:

“Librarians and governing bodies should maintain that parents—and only parents—have the right and the responsibility to restrict the access of their children—and only their children—to library resources.” [ALA – www.ala.org]

I think we can also agree not every parent agrees on the when their child should be exposed to various subject matters or images. With this understanding firmly settled in my mind, I was still shocked at this challenge:

Andersen, Hans Christian. The Little Mermaid. Harcourt. An edition with illustrations of bare-breasted mermaids was challenged in the Bedford, Tex. School District [1994] because it was “pornographic” and contained “satanic pictures.”

In all my years I never, ever, considered this story or the many different illustrations to go with it, in these terms. Parents already have plenty on their plate when it comes to raising their kids, but this is the fun one – be hands-on in their reading now, and you’ll have a reader for life! That said, let’s leave the school library and move into the public one. Here, parents still need to be involved in their child’s selections. The problem is these next examples of someone’s personal definition of pornography aren’t for children!

Friday, Nancy. Women on Top: How Real Life Has Changed Women’s Fantasies. Pocket Bks. Removed from the Chestatee Regional Library System in Gainesville, Ga. [1994] because the book on women’s sexual fantasies is “pornographic and obscene” and lacks “literary merit”. After months of protest and maneuvering, the library’s only copy was destroyed when the child of a patron accidentally dropped it into a dishpan of water. The book is out of print and the library does not plan to replace it.

As a woman and author of erotic romances, I found this challenge particularly offensive. Sexual fantasies, be it a woman’s or a man’s, are healthy and should be embraced, not denigrated with ignorance.

Sharpe, Jon. Trailsman Series. NAL; Penguin. Challenged, but retained at the Springdale, Ark. Public Library [2001] along with other “western” novels because the writing include “pornographic, sexual encounters.”

Okay, confession time, I laughed when I read this challenge. Obviously someone has an issue with cowboys and sex.

Silverstein, Charles, and Edmund White. The Joy of Gay Sex. Crown; Simon & Schuster/Fireside. Challenged, but retained at the Nampa, Idaho Public Library [2006] along with seven other books, including The Joy of Sex despite the complaint that, “they are very pornographic in nature and they have very explicit and detailed illustrations and photographs which we feel doesn’t belong in a library.”

This was interesting because the challenge included a similar book for heterosexuals so it can’t be viewed as being entirely anti-gay. As these books are often viewed as instructional, I think details are a necessity. And, one last thing, the one place this book does belong is in a library!

It seems as if one person’s pornography is another one’s choice.

Banned Books Week is all about celebrating the First Amendment [I was on the Samhain Café earlier today talking about this if you fancy taking a look]. No one should have their opinions silenced or stifled, what we need to do is respect the right for everyone to have their own views.

These examples, and many others, were pulled from Robert P. Doyle’s Banned Books. If you want more Banned Books Week information, visit Tilly Greene’s Hot Thoughts Blog.

Tilly Greene
WARNING! Red hot romances ahead!
www.tillygreene.com

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