Library Board members will discuss whether to remove a controversial book from the Cozby Public Library during its meeting on March 10.
The Coppell Gazette reported that on December 29, 2021, the Cozby Library and Community Commons received a request from a Coppell resident asking the board to reconsider whether the library should offer the graphic novel Gender Queer: A Memoir.
“I submitted a request for reconsideration at Coppell,” Conor Donahue told The Dallas Express.
Donahue has children who frequent the Cozby Public Library. He feels the text is pornographic and should not be readily available to children.
The book, penned and illustrated by Maia Kobabe, a self-described ‘non-binary queer’ author, features illustrations of characters engaging in sexual activities.
“I’m not saying that I am an activist; I’m a dad,” Donahue said. “It’s my responsibility as a father. I see it as harmful for psychological and moral development for any child to be exposed to images of adults and minors getting in sexual acts. So, it is very concerning that [Gender Queer] is in a school library or any library where children can peruse these or check it out without parental knowledge.”
According to the Gazette, two Coppell residents at a December Cozby Library Board meeting requested the book’s removal, while three other Coppell residents expressed their desire for it to remain in the library.
However, two of the three who favored keeping Gender Queer on the shelves said they thought the title belonged in the adult graphic novel section rather than the teen section because the book depicts what some might consider explicit sex scenes.
In response to those who would have it removed, the library said Gender Queer meets the required criteria in its collection development guidelines, which are approved by the Library Advisory Board. As a result, the library’s stance is that the book should be kept in the collection.
Cozby Library Services Director Dennis Quinn told the Gazette that “libraries have collection development policies for good reason [and] no one set of personal values or beliefs can be the lens through which to develop a collection that is supposed to serve and reflect an entire community, especially one as diverse as Coppell.”
“We serve our community by helping our citizens develop their talents, acquire knowledge, embrace their passions, and fulfill their dreams,” the library’s Mission Statement reads. “The Cozby Library and Community Commons is the heart of the community where citizens are empowered to Imagine, Discover, Engage, and Achieve in an environment that cultivates curiosity, collaboration, and creativity.”
Donahue said there are plenty of books at the Cozby Public Library that contain information about LGBTQ topics, all less graphic than Gender Queer.
“I think the important thing to note is the concern that I have, and I think most will have, [has] nothing to do with the LGBTQ topics discussed in the book and it has everything to do with the graphic sexual images of adults and minors,” Donahue said. “I think that’s something that’s worth fighting for.”
This is not the first controversy Gender Queer has raised. As previously reported by The Dallas Express, other residents in the metroplex have also expressed concerns about the content of the graphic novel.
The Wake County Public Libraries in North Carolina faced a similar dilemma regarding Gender Queer and ultimately removed it from their shelves in December of 2021. In a post on their website titled, “Why was Gender Queer removed from the WCPL Collection?” the library board explained its decision.
“When a book is removed from a library, there are understandably many questions and concerns about the decision,” the library’s post read. “The decision to remove this book for sexually graphic illustrations adhered to a policy that was implemented in 2005.”
The post explained that while the process has served the library for over 15 years, WCPL is committed to strengthening and updating it to reflect current community standards, assure transparency, and expand inclusivity.
“There are many voices that will add value to how WCPL manages requests for reconsideration, and we want to make sure they are heard,” the post continued. “WCPL understands there are varying opinions on this book, and there is a common interest in constantly improving and strengthening our policies and procedures. The goal is and will always be to provide an exceptional library experience and to assure the availability of a collection which serves and enriches our diverse library community.”