Row erupts in Singapore over pulling of children’s books with gay themes
Authorities in Singapore are facing an online backlash after public libraries withdrew and decided to pulp three children's book titles because they were against family values.
Authorities in Singapore are facing an online backlash after public libraries withdrew and decided to pulp three children's book titles because they were against family values.
One of them, And Tango Makes Three, is based on a true story of two male penguins taking care of a baby chick at Central Park Zoo in New York.
We sieve through the contents [of children’s books] and exercise our best judgment
It is believed that a conservative parent had written a complaint to authorities and wanted the book to be taken off the shelves.
Also withdrawn were two other titles with gay themes, The White Swan Express: A Story About Adoption, and Who's In My Family: All About Our Families.
The government-run National Library Board (NLB) defended its decision on its Facebook page, saying it took "a pro-family" stance. "In selecting children's books, we sieve through the contents and exercise our best judgment," the statement said.
The decision by the NLB to pulp the books has angered critics who say librarians should not be deciding what is considered "pro-family" and what is not.