For those of you wondering why I'm spelling Pride with a capital P I'm referring to the movement that embraces equality for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. According to Wikipedia it's purpose is to "promote their self-affirmation, dignity, equality rights, increase their visibility as a social group, build community, and celebrate sexual diversity and gender variance."*
It is for us to stand up as people and share the message that our sexuality should not be a reason for shame or awkwardness. We are who we are and should all be accepted equally.
My son (who incidentally is celebrating something special today) is a staunch supporter of equality. He will use the term 'equalist' instead of 'feminist' because he doesn't want to pigeon hole women. He truly believes that all are on an equal footing and I'm terribly proud of him for that.
His enthusiasm is akin to a blast of soft sunshine: both strong and comforting.
Pride is one of many things that he's passionate about and I have to say I share his view that no one should have to hide who they are just for acceptance of others. This week's blog goes on to tackle that very subject.
They can't, but after careful observation one of the zoo keepers gives them a 'surrogate' egg laid by another chinstrap penguin couple who are unable to look after it.
Roy and Silo incubate the egg and before long out pops a healthy baby penguin which the zoo keepers lovingly name Tango (after all it takes two)! So this true story ends happily with Roy, Silo and Tango living at the zoo as a proper penguin family.
Well then, why have I selected this picture book (which features no real stand out imagery or wording, no diverse vocabulary or real challenge)? Simple; it was banned not long after it's initial publication in America back in 2005.
Not only is it banned in states across the country but also in Singapore. It topped the American Library Associations' most challenged books list in 2006 and then again in 2010. The argument against it coming from parents who didn't like homosexuals being used as role models (even penguin ones) and who complained that two male penguins raising a baby penguin didn't really adhere to the 'normal' stereotype of a healthy family unit.
Their complaints were taken to schools and libraries where the overall judgement was 'we don't want this read to our children unless we approve of it first, which we don't'.
Many libraries tried to use alternative methods of shelving and advertising the book in order to get it some coverage. Others just hid it to avoid complications or begrudging parents. In fact if you go to search the book's title online, the story of it being banned appears before the actual book itself.
Such was my fuss over this book that I had to order in an imported copy after bookshops everywhere gave me no joy and the public libraries' only copy mysteriously disappeared after being returned in May of this year.
I've had it on reserve for over 8 weeks (I'll soon be withdrawing that) before giving up and paying for a copy. And it's the most I'll ever pay for a picture book hands down.
It's worth every penny though.
It's beautifully simplistic, it's 32 pages offering no serious challenge in terms of vocabulary but instead reading like a warm lullaby. The illustrations by Henry Cole are excellent, pencil drawn images that offer the same warmth as the text. Most importantly your heart is with the story from the word go, you buy into it as you read. It's a wonderfully crafted book with a footnote at the end providing the cherry on the sundae by giving you a tiny bit of the real history of it.
This is a great book for any child from the age of 4 upwards and it shows that any group can be a family so long as the love is there. The backgrounds: race, sexuality, gender, even species of the group do not matter so long as there is a will to love and nurture each other. It's an honest message, with a real power to it.
I think it's an ideal way of opening children's discussions and will allow children to express their thoughts and sentiments on the subject (hopefully without any reprisals). We are now in a world where people, especially children should be able to be proud of who they are and open enough to vocalise their beliefs in safety and security.
This is the kind of story that I would have read contentedly to my son, proud of the fact that I'd helped to expand his thinking. Maybe one day he'll read it to children himself.
Book 33 of my 52 book list and my previously banned book.
* quoted from Wikipedia page regarding gay pride.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gay_pride
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