Residents seek removal of gay papers from library lobby

[kweerwolf]

(A story out of suburban Columbus, Ohio)

A group of Upper Arlington residents last week called for the removal of gay-oriented publications from the local library, saying the free newspapers found in the library's foyer were "smut."

The handful of people who spoke to the library's Board of Trustees at its June 14 meeting included UA City Councilman Tim Rankin, who said pictures and text found in Outlook Weekly and Gay People's Chronicle are "offensive and inappropriate."

Depictions of two men about to kiss, and a shirtless man wearing a leather strap and an alluring facial expression, on the covers of the newspapers are not the kind of things people want their children to be exposed to, several residents told board members.

The effort to remove the periodicals was spearheaded by resident Mark Bloom. He wrote letters to the trustees, met with Library Director Ann Moore and contacted fellow members of the Upper Arlington Republican Club about the issue.

http://www.snponline.com/NEWS6-22/6-22_ualibraryprotest.htm

[brooklynite]

1. Don't forget to dump Shakespeare as well...

you know, underage pre-marital sex in "Romeo & Juliet". Think of the impressionable children!

[kweerwolf]

2. Mixed feelings on this one

Normally I'm the first to wave the First Amendment flag, but I have to admit I'm squeamish about some of the material that gets published in GLBT publications. It's little wonder that the religious right paints us as sex-obsessed when you can't pick up a gay newspaper or magazine without photos and artwork that push the limits in ads for bars, phone-sex services, etc.

It's one thing for those publications to be available in gay bars, but if they are available for anyone to pick up in a public library it leaves the community wide open for the kinds of charges brought by the fundies.

[davidinalameda]

4. unfortunately, those ads pay the costs of the paper

and not all of us go to the bars, clubs, etc where we can get a copy of the paper

and what about those kids who are gay--they certainly can't go to the bars and get a copy

most of the ads in the papers aren't any worse than you find in Cosmo and Maxim (is that the name?)

and unless you'd like to start a subscription newspaper, then these ads pay for the production of the paper and keep the vast majority of them free

[davidinalameda]

6. back up

I misread this

they're complaining about the COVERS?

obviously this library doesn't have any romance novels in its collection

[mitchtv]

5. as long as the covers are presentable

I withhold any squeamishness. Opening them up is up to the reader

[noamnety]

3. I wonder where those people shop

Apparently not in a store that sells women's magazines at the registers.

Alluring looks? Suggestive poses? The stuff on the cover is not any different than what's on the cover of Cosmo on a regular basis - except that it shows men objectified, rather than women.