At least two copies of In the Night Kitchen are available in elementary school libraries in Indian River County, Florida. This concerned Jennifer Pippin, the chair of the local Moms for Liberty chapter, because the main character, Mickey, is sometimes depicted without clothes. In an interview, Pippin told Popular Information that she believes the book may be “harmful to minors.” She was worried that if a “5-year-old picks up this book and has never seen a picture of a penis… [t]he parent wouldn’t be able to discuss this with the child.”
….
Pippin challenged other books with drawings of figures without clothes, including Unicorns Are the Worst, a book about a goblin complaining about how much people like unicorns. The concern about Unicorns Are The Worst is this picture of a goblin’s butt:
Here are the books in question:
OMG, right? Why, just seeing this book cover and page will cause untold harm, especially to boys who have never seen a picture of a penis or bare butt. 🙂
How did the school district handle this serious problem?
That’s right, librarians drew clothing on the offending parties.
I am left shaking my head in disbelief. How about you?
Bruce Gerencser, 67, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 46 years. He and his wife have six grown children and thirteen grandchildren. Bruce pastored Evangelical churches for twenty-five years in Ohio, Texas, and Michigan. Bruce left the ministry in 2005, and in 2008 he left Christianity. Bruce is now a humanist and an atheist.
Connect with me on social media:
Your comments are welcome and appreciated. All first-time comments are moderated. Please read the commenting rules before commenting.
You can email Bruce via the Contact Form.
maurice sendak would be horrified!
No stars on thars? Draw some on. Actually I’m at peace with pencilling on some pants if it quiets troubled people without depriving anyone of any meaningful rights (far is I know). Nudity is not such a big deal (or a big deal at all) in Europe, NL in particular. My understanding is in NL most beaches are clothes optional and little kiddies are welcome. I’m not aware of unusual numbers of nudity damaged kids there (if that’s even a real thing). I’m guessing Ms. Pippin wouldn’t allow 5 year olds into a lot of American museums.
Clothes? Why not fig leaves? 🍃Do these people blindfold their children so they never see themselves in a mirror?
Missimontana–In “The Vagina Monologues,” one woman says that until the play’s author, Eve Ensler, approached her, she had never looked at her vagina. Although it would be more difficult for a man or boy to plausibly claim he never saw his privates, they, and women and girls are discouraged from seeing–or encouraged not to see–their bodies. That, as I know all too well, causes immeasurable harm.
I wonder if the books’ author might be able to bring a suit for breach of copyright?
This is ridiculous. What a thing to get bent put of shape about. I guess the librarian handled it as well as they could given the juvenile request from this butt-hurt parent.