American Library Association conference promotes LGBT books for kids, features 'diversity' panels and trans key speakers

The American Library Association dedicated its 2023 annual conference to push back against recent calls from parents nationwide to remove sexually explicit and age-inappropriate books from school libraries and classrooms, Fox News Digital reported.

The conference, held in Chicago from June 22 through 27, promoted LGBT books for children despite parents' growing concerns about the books' content.

In keeping with its woke theme, the event also featured multiple "diversity" panels and hosted several transgender writers as its sessions' key speakers.

Perhaps the most popular topic for the ALA's conference was how to stop "book-banners." The conference included sessions such as "Changing the Narrative: ALA Policy Corps Takes on Book Banners" and "Fight Book Bans: Frame the Debate, Fill the Seats, and Create Connections."

The ALA also hosted the controversial author Ibram X. Kendi, a critical race theory activist who wrote "How to be an Antiracist." Kendi hosted a session on the "Rally for the Right to Read: Uniting for Libraries & Intellectual Freedom," which reportedly compared parents' challenging sexually explicit books in classrooms to laws in Alabama in the 1800s that banned teaching enslaved people how to read or write.

Queer and transgender writers Claribel A. Ortega, Mark Oshiro, Robin Gow, and Mariama J. Lockington hosted the ALA's "Beyond the Middle School Rainbow: Intersectionality in LGBTQIA+ Middle Grade Books" session.

Ortega stated that "adults are just going to have to deal with it" because "the kids get it, and that's who I write for."

Lockington claimed it "feel[s] like I'm doing something right if I'm pissing people off with my stories." Children's feedback has been positive despite "what gatekeepers and adults are saying about what young people can handle or what they have going on their lives," Lockington added.

The conference also featured transgender writer Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, who explained the Hawaiian term "māhū," a "traditional third-gender person who occupies the space between kane (male) and wahine (female)."

Wong-Kalu's picture book follows the journey of several "māhū" individuals. While the book is advertised for 4- through 8-year-olds, Wong-Kalu says it is "for all ages."

In addition to promoting LGBT themes, the conference featured several "diversity" and "cultural appropriation" sessions, including "Reflecting the Diversity of Your Community in Your Collection," "Tradition or Discrimination: Is Your Beloved Team Mascot Cultural Appropriation?" and "Equity and Diversity in the Metaverse: Building a sustainable metaverse for libraries."

The ALA did not respond to a request for comment, Fox News Digital reported.

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