FURY OVER ‘OBSCENE’ LIBRARY BOOK

LINDA SILMALIS | 5 MARCH 2023

A library book entitled Gender Queer has triggered a storm at Sutherland Shire Council after a ratepayer wrote to complain about its “obscene material”, including references to “dildos”.

But a councillor has claimed some of the content in the publication was no different to Prince Harry’s memoir Spare, in which he revealed he once suffered a frostbitten penis.

In an email to councillors on Friday, a Sylvania resident called on the council to remove the book from the ­library, ­declaring it did not represent “the vast majority of reasonable people in the Shire”.

“The book contains obscene material that the vast ­majority of people in the Shire and Australia find offensive and would consider to depict the sexual abuse of children,” the resident wrote. “The book also promotes a pornographic website that specialises in profiting off depraved and humiliating simulated sexual violence against women.

“Gender Queer should be removed from Sutherland ShireCouncil libraries completely. This should happen today.”

Councillor Jen Armstrong wrote back to defend the “memoir”, written and illustrated by American cartoonist Maia Kobabe.

“Sutherland Shire is an inclusive and accepting place for all its residents, an ally of gender diverse people and I hope you find it within yourself to accept those who have the basic human right to be accepted for who they are,” she wrote.

Ms Armstrong rejected claims the book contained “sexual abuse” material, saying the illustration the resident referred to related to a piece of painted Ancient Greek pottery depicting a “courting scene”.

As for objections to references to sexual behaviour, Ms Armstrong said the library may as well also remove Prince Harry’s book given he detailed how he had lost his virginity “to an older woman” and nearly lost his penis.

Cartoon book removed from library shelves

Simon Holt | March 10, 2023

A cartoon book depicting sex acts has been removed from shelves of Logan City libraries.

Conservative Catholic lobbyist Bernard Gaynor said the book, Gender Queer: a memoir by Maia Kobabe, had been removed after numerous emails and phone calls with Logan City Council staff and councillors.

“This obscene book had been located in the same section that held popular children’s comics such as Tintin and Asterix,” Mr Gaynor said.

He said the cartoon book showed children engaged in sexual acts.

“All residents of Logan City Council should expect that the Council’s libraries will comply with laws in Queensland relating to child grooming, child pornography and publication of obscene material,” Mr Gaynor said.

“It is unacceptable that Logan City Council purchased Gender Queer in the first place.

“It remains unacceptable that Logan City Council continues to hold copies of Gender Queer or that it will continue to lend this obscene book, including to children, upon request.

“Gender Queer is clearly in breach of numerous Queensland laws designed to protect children from sexual abuse and inappropriate sexual material.”

Mr Gaynor said a battle to have the book removed altogether from Logan City Council libraries would continue.

View original article here

Police question council lawyers over alleged library porn

Chris Manning | March 13, 2023

Queensland Police have denied claims of an investigation into alleged pornographic books in Logan City Libraries.

Last week a cartoon book depicting sex acts was removed from Logan libraries shelves. There have now been complaints about four additional books.

Although there is no official investigation as alleged by lobbyists, Senior Sergeant Ken Murray has met with solicitors from Logan City Council to determine the best course of action. The books have been referred to the Australian Classification Board.

Bernard Gaynor is a conservative Catholic lobbyist who alerted police to the books. And he says he’s livid.

“I found these books on children’s bookshelves,” Mr Gaynor said. “If I drew those pictures I would go to gaol.

“Logan City Council are loaning pornographic books, including child exploitation material, to children. It is unacceptable and these books should be taken out of the libraries altogether.”

Mr Gaynor is responsible for the removal of the initial explicit book, and has since been unable to meet with council. He has claimed that council are trying their best to keep him at arms length.

“I am planning to hold a protest outside council chambers while the comittee that oversees library operations meets on Wednesday (tomorrow) morning,” he said.

“Someone should ask they mayor where he stands on pornographic books in the library because he’s been conspicuously quiet.

“It’s simply not good enough.” Mr Gaynor said he was determined to see the book removed.

View original article here

Queensland Police to review child exploitation material in public libraries

Kirralie Smith | March 14, 2023

In a major update to recent news from Binary exposing sexually graphic books being marketed to youth in Australian libraries, it has now been reported that graphic novels containing pornography and sexual fantasies of children engaged in sexual activities have been flagged for review by Queensland Police.

Gender Queer, which includes illustrations of masturbation, sex toys and oral sex, is written by Maia Kobabe, a nonbinary author from California. The 2019 graphic novel is centred on coming out to friends and family.

The 239-page memoir is the most commonly banned book in the United States, according to the American Library Association.

The graphic novel is available to loan at a number of libraries across the country, including Logan Central Library.

Bernard Gaynor raised the alarm about the books in Australian Libraries. He successfully had the books removed from the shelves of Logan City Libraries, but they remained available behind the counter. The Police will now investigate.

Gaynor contacted police on Saturday, March 4, lodging official complaints about Gender Queer and four other titles at the library, which he claimed breached the criminal code in relation to child exploitation material and exposing children to sexually explicit material.

Logan council said it did not wish to make any comment on the book, or the complaint from Gaynor, other than it is “reviewing the matter”.

Binary spokeswoman Kirralie Smith said that it is important that parents “speak out”, and for “citizens to draw the line in the sand and say enough is enough”.

“Sexualising children in libraries has got to stop,” she said. “Pornography should never be available for children, especially when it depicts children engaged in sexual activity.”

View original article here

Campaign Against Explicit Children’s Books In Australian Libraries

Tony Davenport | Thu, Mar 16 2023

Christian family advocate Bernard Gaynor is on a mission to remove inappropriate books from the children’s sections of Australia’s libraries. He claims many library books on the children’s shelves, especially comic-style publications, are pornographic.

“I think parents should understand that local councils and probably even school libraries are stocking explicit books and lending them to children,” he told Vision Radio.

Mr. Gaynor has initially targeted libraries run by Logan City Council in Brisbane’s south. He says it has agreed to remove a book called Gender Queer from its library shelves, but is still making it available for children to borrow.

The campaigner believes that’s not good enough and has a petition on his personal website calling for the Council to remove the book permanently.

“What really shocked me was that Gender Queer was not the worst book in the library. There are numerous other books in Logan City Council libraries on children’s book shelves which are worse. They are absolutely depraved and disgusting. They’re basically in the same section as your Batman and Superman comic books. They’re that kind of comic style book, but they are very explicit,” Mr. Gaynor explained.

The father of nine and former soldier in military intelligence with three tours to Iraq explained to Vision Radio how he was mounting his campaign.

“You complain to the library staff, you complain to the local councillors, you go to the police. I’ve been to all three. And in Logan, all these books have now been removed from the shelves in the library, which is a good win. But most councils have refused to even speak to me,” he lamented.

“The good news is that the police have and these books have now been referred to the Australian Classification Board, which is the first step to determining whether charges should be laid in relation to these books and their contents.”

“It is illegal to import pornography into Australia unless it is first classified as being suitable to import into this country. These books have never been sent to the Classification Board, so there is a whole process here of processes which have not been followed and not been adhered to. If we were to draw explicit pictures of children and hand them out, we would go to jail. But apparently our local councils think they can put them in a book, hand them out and actually keep a record of all the children who borrow this stuff.”

“I think there is a loophole in the law. Computer games and movies must be classified but there’s a grey area about publications. It would appear that there was a duty of care on Logan City Council and the publishers who brought these books out to Australia to seek classification, which they did not do.”

“The Classification Board has classified some of these books in the past, these comic style books, and refused classification to them essentially because they contain child pornography, in particular these Japanese style comic books, which depict young children very graphically. Now they are being imported into Australia from Japan without properly being assessed. These are the ones that are in local libraries.”

“In my research I’ve found online book suppliers selling books that had been refused classification on Australian websites for Australian customers. The government was collecting GST on their sale. That has since stopped just in the last week or so since I raised it with these booksellers.”

Mr. Gaynor believes the lack of vigilance from the Australian public has allowed more and more explicit books into libraries as well as activities like Drag Queen Story Hour. He propounded to Vision Radio: “I fully believe that if more parents were speaking up about these books three or four years ago, no one would have dared to bring a drag queen into a library to start reading books to kids. But because these books have been on the shelves in Australia for a number of years and no one said anything, it creates this permissive environment where they keep pushing boundaries and we need to start fighting back.”

“Hopefully, when this campaign is done and dusted in Logan, we can start looking at other libraries in Australia. That is definitely the plan. But to do that, people need to start poking councillors in the chest and saying ‘I don’t care what sort of pornography it is, it shouldn’t be in a taxpayer funded or resident funded library.’”

View original article here

Gender identity memoir removed from Queensland library shelf, referred to classification board

Mark Saunokonoko, Senior Journalist | 10:07am Mar 16, 2023

Exclusive: A gender identity memoir aimed at teenage readers has been referred to the Australian Classification Board (ACB) after a complaint made by a conservative activist saw the book removed from the shelves of a Queensland library.

Following a four-day investigation, Queensland Police confirmed to 9news.com.au that on March 9 they flagged Gender Queer: A Memoir to the federal government’s Department of Communications and Arts, which runs the ACB.

Gender Queer, which includes illustrations of masturbation, sex toys and oral sex, is written by Maia Kobabe, a nonbinary author from California. The 2019 graphic novel is centred on coming out to friends and family.

The 239-page memoir is the most commonly banned book in the United States, according to the American Library Association.

Kobabe and supporters of the novel insist it can help confused teens identify, by providing a language for the trans and nonbinary community, and unpacking the feelings young people may be experiencing.

The graphic novel is available to loan at a number of libraries across the country, including Logan Central Library.

9news.com.au understands that after conservative activist Bernard Gaynor, 43, made a complaint to Logan City Council, the book was removed from shelves but remained available to borrow for anyone who requested it.

Gaynor’s complaint is that he believes the book, which has won multiple literary awards, is pornographic.

He said one scene which shows a sexual fantasy involving a man and boy, inspired by Plato’s The Symposium, is evidence the book contains child abuse material.

Gaynor contacted police on Saturday, March 4, lodging official complaints about Gender Queer and four other titles at the library, which he claimed breached the criminal code in relation to child exploitation material and exposing children to sexually explicit material.

Logan council said it did not wish to make any comment on the book, or the complaint from Gaynor, other than it is “reviewing the matter”.

Until the book was referred by police, the Classification Board confirmed to 9news.com.au it had not classified Gender Queer, nor had it received any requests to review it.

The agency has the power to censor, restrict and ban films, literature and other content.

“Generally publications do not need to be classified before being made available in libraries,” a spokesperson said.

“The only publications that are required to be submitted to the Classification Board to be classified are those that would contain content that may be restricted to adults or refused classification.”

Iraq war veteran Gaynor was sacked as an Australian Defence Force reservist in 2013 for making anti-gay comments on social media, later winning an appeal against the decision, only for the court to then overturn that ruling.

Gaynor said his police complaint has nothing to do with the gender identity debate.

“The book is highly pornographic,” he said. “And that alone is enough to have it removed from the library, regardless of what people might think about the book’s content.”

Speaking on a podcast with US organisation GLAAD last year, Kobabe said the memoir was about figuring out who you are.

“I started questioning these topics when I was like 12, 13 years old, and then didn’t come out as nonbinary until I was 25,” Kobabe said.

“Having a book like this, or any book that explored nonbinary identity, would have probably taken 10 years of confusion and uncertainty out of my life.”

Kobabe said sweeping bans of the book in the US felt like a “generalised attack on queer and trans narratives” that the memoir was caught up in.

“My book is uniquely vulnerable because it is a comic, and because people can very quickly flip open to one or two images that they don’t agree with or make them uncomfortable, and share those out of context on social media.”

9news.com.au has seen correspondence from Logan council stating the council was not breaking any laws by stocking Gender Queer, because there had been no ruling or review from ACB dictating otherwise.

There are five copies of Gender Queer held in various libraries across Logan.

Logan Central Library was the only library to stock the book in its Young Adult Fiction section, according to the library website. The four other libraries have the book in the Biography section.

As well as Gender Queer, Gaynor said he also flagged to police concerns over other titles in the library, including Japanese-style manga graphic novels. He has started a petition to remove Kobabe’s book, which currently has over 1000 signatures.

9news.com.au has contacted literary agent Wernick & Pratt, who represents Kobabe, for comment.

On its website, Simon & Schuster, the book’s distributor, said Kobabe’s memoir describes “what it means to be nonbinary and asexual” and “a useful and touching guide on gender identity … for advocates, friends, and humans everywhere”.

View original article here

Censor to assess ‘Gender Queer’ graphic memoir after activist’s complaint

Michael Koziol | March 17, 2023 — 10.55am

An award-winning graphic memoir about sexuality and gender aimed at teenagers and young adults – which has been banned in dozens of US school districts – faces potential censorship in Australia following a complaint from a conservative activist.

The Australian Classification Board has “called in” Gender Queer, by non-binary cartoonist Maia Kobabe, saying there are reasonable grounds to believe the publication should be classified.

The book has been banned in dozens of US school districts and topped the American Library Association’s list of most challenged books in 2021.

The decision to call in the text for assessment came after a complaint to police by conservative blogger Bernard Gaynor and subsequent contact between Queensland Police, the federal arts department and the classification board.

It does not mean the book will necessarily be banned or restricted. Typically, once a copy of the text has been obtained, it will be assigned to a board member to decide whether it is a “submittable publication”, meaning it should be classified.

If so, it will receive a classification of either “unrestricted” – meaning it will have to display a sticker and is not recommended for children under 15, but is not legally restricted – category 1, category 2, or refused classification.

Categories 1 and 2 are restricted to people over 18 and must be packaged with warnings. Refused classification means it cannot be sold or hired in Australia.

A federal arts department spokesperson confirmed the department was contacted by Queensland Police on March 9 regarding Gender Queer: A Memoir. The department told police the book had not been classified, nor had an application for classification been received.

The department then advised the board’s director, Fiona Jolly, of “concerns raised regarding this book”. Jolly determined to call in publication on March 15. Classification may take five weeks.

Gender Queer – which contains sexually explicit illustrations – has become a lightning rod for conservative politicians, activists, parents and commentators in the US. It topped the American Library Association’s list of most challenged books in 2021, and is routinely described as the most banned book in America.

Gaynor – who was sacked by the Defence Force in 2013 over anti-gay comments on social media – staged a protest outside Logan City Council this week about Gender Queer and other books he labelled “pornographic” that were sitting on library shelves.

In an emailed newsletter on Thursday he told followers the board had advised him it would assess Gender Queer.

“This is an important step in having this obscene book removed from libraries and, hopefully, completely banned in Australia,” he wrote.

While the classification board mainly deals with films and games, it does classify publications following an application, usually from Australian Border Force or another agency.

In the past two years it has classified as unrestricted a reprint of Martin Luther’s anti-Semitic 1543 On the Jews and Their Lies, as well as a 2009 translation of Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf.

But it has refused to classify (ban) a cookbook called Edibles: Small Bites for the Modern Cannabis Kitchen, as well as Psychedelic Cannabis: Therapeutic Methods and Unique Blends to Treat Trauma and Transform Consciousness.

Kobabe’s Gender Queer received an Alex Award from the American Library Association, recognising books that appeal to young adults, and was a finalist for the Stonewall Book Award for non-fiction.

Earlier this year, Kobabe – who uses the pronouns e/em/eir – told US National Public Radio the memoir was less explicit than it could have been.

“The topic of gender touches on identity and touches on sexuality, and it touches on all of these things,” e said. “It’s hard to fully explain how a gender identity can impact every facet of life as an adult without touching at least a little bit on sexuality. So, I wanted to not shy away from that.”

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‘Porn’ comic book off Logan library shelves after conservative lobbyist Bernard Gaynor lodges complaint with police, classification board

A southside council will review its library policy after complaints were lodged about an allegedly inappropriate comic book which refers to a number of sexual topics.

Judith Kerr March | 18, 2023 – 9:40AM | Albert & Logan News

Logan City Council will review its library policy after complaints were lodged about an allegedly inappropriate comic book which refers to masturbation, gay porn, blow jobs while driving and vagina slime.

Gender Queer: A Memoir, a book which details sexual topics that may affect young people, is aimed at helping them understand their sexuality.

It was taken off Logan City Council library shelves this month following a complaint from conservative political activist Bernard Gaynor.

According to the book’s author Maia Kobabe, Gender Queer: A Memoir, came about after their own experiences searching for answers to questions about nonbinary identities.

“I started questioning these topics when I was like 12, 13 years old, and then didn’t come out as nonbinary until I was 25,” Kobabe said on a podcast with US-based group GLAAD last year.

“Having a book like this, or any book that explored nonbinary identity, would have probably taken 10 years of confusion and uncertainty out of my life,” Kobabe said.

After Mr Gaynor alerted police, QPS referred the book to the Australian Classification Board, which will review the matter and determine what action to take.

Mr Gaynor, who wants the book permanently removed from library shelves, launched a protest outside the council’s Wembley Rd offices.

It is unknown whether all copies have been removed while the council investigation is under way.

Since the initial complaint on March 4, four others books have been targeted.

Logan City councillor Karen Murphy said the council review had already started.

“This review will be undertaken with reference to council’s Library Collection Development Policy,” Ms Murphy said online.

“This policy is consistent with national public library standards and guidelines.

“Council will make no further comment until the review is completed.”

Mr Gaynor said Logan council should not be loaning out the books to children but he was glad it had been removed from library shelves.

However, he said the council was still keeping Gender Queer and would make it available, upon request, even to children.

“As far as I know, it is the first time this book has been challenged successfully anywhere in Australia,” he said.

“There is a reason these books are written and published and placed on shelves … in public libraries – none of this is an accident. It happens by design.”

Mr Gaynor said he was determined to see the book banned permanently and said Logan City Council staff had refused to meet with him, telling him there was nothing wrong with Gender Queer.

The classification board, which can censor, restrict or ban content, said it was yet to classify Gender Queer and had not had any requests to do so until recently.

View original article here

Clock ticking on ‘Gender Queer’ censorship decision

Mark Saunokonoko, Senior Journalist | 10:45am Mar 20, 2023

An award-winning gender identity memoir, claimed to be the most banned book in the US, could face censorship in Australia after the title was flagged by a conservative activist who claims it is pornographic.

As first reported by 9news.com.au, Gender Queer: A Memoir is now under review by the Australian Classifications Board (ACB) after a complaint saw the title reportedly pulled off the shelves of Logan Central Library in Queensland.

Gender Queer, which includes illustrations of masturbation, sex toys and oral sex, is written by Maia Kobabe, a nonbinary author from California. It is stocked in libraries across the country.

Kobabe and supporters of the novel insist it can help confused teens identify, by providing a language for the trans and nonbinary community, and unpacking the feelings young people may be experiencing.

Kobabe’s agent told 9news.com.au the author did not want to comment on what was now happening to the book in Australia.

9news.com.au has established a clear timeline of how the book ended up under the microscope of the ACB, where its fate will be decided.

Logan father-of-nine Bernard Gaynor, 43, lodged formal complaints about Gender Queer and several other Japanese manga style titles with Queensland Police on March 4.

Prior to reporting his concerns to police, 9news.com.au understands Gaynor had complained directly to Logan City Council, leading to the book’s removal from Logan Central Library shelves. It remained available to borrow for anyone who requested it.

Gaynor said his complaints to police were about alleged offences in relation to possession and dissemination of child exploitation material and exposing children to sexually explicit material.

He told 9news.com.au that one scene which shows a sexual fantasy involving a man and boy, inspired by Plato’s The Symposium, is evidence the book contained child abuse material.

Police investigated the complaint for several days, and then contacted the federal government’s Department of Communications, which runs the ACB, on March 9.

The department told police the book had not been classified at that time and nobody had, so far, lodged an application for classification.

It is not unusual for a book to not be classified.

The department then flagged the situation to the ACB.

After assessing developments, on March 15 Fiona Jolly, director of the ACB, officially “called in” the book from publisher Oni Press. The publishers were given the standard three days to comply.

At Jolly’s discretion, a single board member or a group panel will read the publication in order to reach a decision.

A decision is likely in the next 25 days, and there are several routes the ACB may choose to take, ranging from age restrictions on who can read and buy the book through to an outright ban.

The 239-page memoir is the most commonly banned book in the United States, according to the American Library Association.

Last week Gaynor organised a protest outside Logan Central Library, which stocked the book in its Young Adult section, according to the library’s website.

Gaynor is also heading a petition demanding the book is removed from libraries.

In 2020, Gender Queer was given two awards by the American Library Association, including an Alex Award, which recognises books published for adults that hold crossover appeal for readers aged 12 to 18. That same year, the book was also a finalist for the Stonewall Book Award for non-fiction.

Iraq war veteran Gaynor was sacked as an Australian Defence Force reservist in 2013 for making anti-gay comments on social media, later winning an appeal against the decision, only for the court to then overturn that ruling.

Gaynor said his police complaint has nothing to do with the gender identity debate.

View original article here

Porn book protest just the beginning

Chris Manning | March 23, 2023

A group of 30 Logan residents staged a protest outside council offices last week in a bid to get five pornographic books taken off local library shelves.

Protest leader and conservative Catholic lobbyist Bernard Gaynor said the protest was “only the start”.

According to Mr Gaynor, the one hour protest was planned on very short notice.

“We’re very happy with the way it went,” Mr Gaynor said.

“We had people join in who just happened to be walking past.”

Mr Gaynor said he was waiting to hear a response from Council about the future of the books – some of which contain alleged child pornography.

He said he would not rest until he was assured the books would never return to library shelves.

“We will make sure of that,” he said.

Mr Gaynor’s petition to remove the books has over 1,400 signatures.

He said the “court of public opinion” would be the ultimate decider and those who advocate for the alleged porn would be “named and shamed.”

Beyond his feud with Logan City Council, Mr Gaynor has taken his complaints to the books’ distributors – prompting Penguin Books to remove one of the books from sale and all related links from its website.

Queensland Police said the books were under review by the Australian Classification Board.

View original article here

It’s one of America’s most challenged books, but we shouldn’t ban Gender Queer

Jane Sullivan Books columnist and reviewer | March 28, 2023 — 5.30am

If there’s one thing I hope Australia never imports from the US, it’s that country’s raging appetite for banning books. But there are signs the culture wars have reached our shores.

The latest move to ban a book is an approach to the Australian Classification Board to censor Gender Queer, a graphic memoir by non-binary author and artist Maia Kobabe. It comes from conservative activist Bernard Gaynor, and if successful after review, this could mean the book will have to display a sticker warning at the very least. The board could also decide to ban it for certain age groups, or to ban it altogether.

First published in 2019 with a modest print run, by the following year Gender Queer had reached the melancholy distinction of being the most challenged book in the US, banned in 41 districts. Some schools removed the book without ever receiving a complaint. A parent who wanted the book banned from her child’s school library campaigned to the school board with posters of enlarged illustrations from the book. Her tirade was uploaded on social media. It went viral, and the conservative media continued the pile-on, labelling the book “Gay Porn”.

What is all the fuss about? Kobabe’s memoir is heartfelt and painfully honest, an account of being brought up as a girl but becoming increasingly bewildered about sexual identity and gradually refusing to conform to any gender. It won an American Library Association Alex award, for books “written for adults that have special appeal to young adults ages 12 through 18”.

Reviews have been glowing. It has been hailed as “an immensely sympathetic memoir of self-discovery”, and as “a comforting voice from someone who has walked the same paths”. A very small proportion of the text and illustrations is certainly graphic and explicit. These scenes show masturbation, a Greek vase scene of a boy and an older man, and a fantasy involving oral sex and a strap-on dildo.

This sounds alarming, perhaps; and taken out of context, you might at a stretch describe these scenes as “gay porn”. But they fit seamlessly into the story as a whole, a story that is subtle and poignant, aiming to help young people understand themselves and feel they are not alone. It also helps parents and teachers to understand. I learned a lot from it.

Some US protesters claim they are not opposed to LGBTQI+ issues, only to sexual material that they consider obscene. But the move to censor Gender Queer is part of a larger and very powerful conservative movement that has focused lately on banning any books from school libraries that deal with LGBTQI+ issues and identities.

Last year there were 1597 challenges against individual books, the most ever made. Librarians have resigned after being harassed for refusing to remove books from the shelves. Residents have called for the defunding of their local libraries. Politicians have tried unsuccessfully to sue the Gender Queer publishers for obscenity. And activists have accused librarians – and even the whole Democratic Party – of “grooming” young children.

Now this pressure is beginning to be felt in Australia. I hope the Australian Classification Board will resist it. There is perhaps a case for a warning sticker on books that might contain material that a child of 12, say, is not yet ready to see, and parents and librarians might want to monitor that themselves.

But whatever your views might be on gender identity, I can’t see any good reason why older teens or young adults should not be allowed to see a book such as Gender Queer and make up their own minds about it.

View original article here

Uproar over ‘pornographic’ sex in teen manga graphic comic novels

Sex scenes too graphic to publish are readily available to teens in local libraries — prompting complaints and calls for an overhaul of the Classification Board.

Clarissa Bye | March 29, 2023 – 7:46PM

Comic books with graphic sex scenes and violent pornographic imagery have been pulled from the shelves of the “Teenage Fiction” section of a major Sydney library, as questions are raised about the classification of explicit material in Australia.

Conservative blogger Bernard Gaynor discovered the extreme material, contained in manga and graphic novels, while researching the book “Gender Queer” and has filed official complaints with police, libraries and councils in both Queensland and NSW.

After Mr Gaynor raised the alarm about Gender Queer earlier this month, which includes sexually explicit illustrations, the Australian Classification Board censor called in the book to be classified, and libraries in Queensland have now begun taking it off the shelves.

Since then Mr Gaynor has uncovered more pornographic illustrations in manga, graphic novels and comics available to children, which have gone under the radar.

And the City of Sydney library late Tuesday began removing some of the books from the shelves of their Surry Hills branch after the Daily Telegraph uncovered explicit material in the teenage fiction section, including a copy of The Boys Vol 1 by Garth Ennis, which includes bestiality and rape scenes.

The film version is rated R while a different book by the same author was declared Category 2 pornography on March 15 by the classification board after the NSW Police brought it to their attention.

A council spokeswoman said the novels were catalogued as adult graphic novels but “unfortunately they were located very close to the young adult graphic novels at the Surry Hills library”.

“Although the books do not breach classification standards or library regulations we are currently removing the books from our shelves pending review of the content and determination of whether the images contained therein are appropriate.”

The same Sydney library shelves also contain Japanese manga books depicting sex, including a series about two Japanese porn stars “engaging in a 10 day sexual romp” called Embracing Love by Youka Nitta.

“Parents across this nation will be shocked to know that local councils have probably spent millions of dollars on pornographic books which they loan to our children,” Mr Gaynor said.

“These books are not checked by the Classification Board before they are imported into Australia and put on library shelves.

“This appears to breach numerous laws from import regulations through to classification laws and even laws that make it crime to produce, own and distribute child exploitation material.

“These books need to be removed and the police, Border Force and Classification Board need to step in and sort this serious problem out.”

The Collective Shout grassroots organisation has also weighed in, calling for the Classification Board to be overhauled, saying comic and manga books with sex scenes should not be in libraries.

“This is not just ‘adult content’, this is extreme, graphic, degrading, violent pornographic imagery,” spokeswoman Caitlin Roper said.

“We are talking about violent rapes of women – some of whom appear to be unconscious or dead – as well as bestiality.

“It’s not a matter of content that should be merely restricted to adults. This material is an endorsement of male violence and abuse of women and it should not be tolerated anywhere, let alone in public libraries for an audience that includes children.”

Books borrowed by The Daily Telegraph from the Teenage Readers section include drawings of sex, naked women, bestiality, orgies and rape that are too graphic to publish.

Under NSW law, if a book is “submittable” material for classification, it is not allowed to be sold or delivered. But unlike DVDs, not all books are automatically submitted for classification.

A City of Sydney spokeswoman said libraries “have a role as a free, unbiased source of information”.

She said both Gender Queer and The Boys were in the “adult graphic novel collection”, although the newspaper clearly borrowed The Boys from the teenage section.

“The guidelines dictate materials from public libraries should not be excluded on moral, political, racial, religious, sexist, language or other grounds, unless titles have a federal or state restriction or prohibition,” she said.

“Parents or guardians may wish to regulate their children’s access to publications based on family values or beliefs.

“The Commonwealth Government classifies items, not local councils.

“The Classification Board has asked the publisher to submit Gender Queer for review. There is no requirement for libraries to take further action for now.”

View original article here

Media release—Classification of the publication Gender Queer A Memoir

Classification Board | 3 April 2023

On 3 April 2023, the Classification Board (the Board) classified the publication, Gender Queer A Memoir, Unrestricted, with consumer advice of ‘M (Mature)—Not Recommended for Readers under 15 Years’.

When classifying a publication, the Board is required to consider the impact of classifiable elements within the publication in the context of the publication’s narrative and artistic merits. The Board applies the National Classification Code and the Guidelines for the Classification of Publications 2005 (the Guidelines) when classifying publications.

The Director of the Classification Board, Fiona Jolly, stated: ‘In the Board’s view, this publication can be accommodated in the Unrestricted classification as, within the context of the publication, the treatment of themes is not high in impact or offensive, and the treatment of sex and nudity is also not high in impact and is not exploitative, offensive, gratuitous or very detailed. Given the context of the publication’s narrative and its literary, artistic and educational merits, the Board does not consider that the publication contains material that offends a reasonable adult to the extent that it should be restricted.’

‘While considering that the publication should not be restricted, the Board noted that some content within this autobiographical text may offend some sections of the adult community and may not be suitable for younger readers. For this reason the Board has classified Gender Queer A Memoir ‘Unrestricted’ with consumer advice of “M—not recommended for readers under 15 years of age”.’

Ms Jolly reiterated: ‘This consumer advice does not constitute a legal restriction on its sale or availability.’

Fiona Jolly Director Classification Board

Background

The Guidelines for the Classification of Publications 2005 (the Guidelines) state that, “in considering each element, the Board makes classification decisions based on the impact of individual elements and their cumulative effect. Both the content and treatment of elements contribute to the impact. The Board takes into account the concepts underlying individual descriptions and depictions, and assesses factors such as emphasis, tone, frequency, context and the amount of visual or written detail in those descriptions and depictions.” Thus, specific content that may be accommodated within a certain classification within one context, may fall into a different classification within another context.”

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Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe allowed to be sold “Unrestricted” in Australia

Kinokuniya Books | 4 April 2023

On 17th March Kinokuniya received an email from The Classification Board of Australia “calling-in” Gender Queer: A Memoir for classification within three business days.

This graphic memoir – graphic as in illustrated – had been brought to their attention as a title which might cause offense and they had determined it to be a submittable publication. For the uninitiated (which we at Kinokuniya are not) this means that we should not make it available for sale until it has been submitted to The Board for classification. (It doesn’t take too much googling to find the source of the complaint if you’re interested, but I’d rather not give him any more comment.)

Once a title as been called-in we essentially have three options. The first is to approach the local publisher/distributor of the title and ask them to submit it to the board. In the case of Gender Queer there isn’t a local supplier. We have recognised the importance of this title and we import it ourselves, which makes us (and anyone else who sells it in Australia) the ‘publisher’, in the Classification Board’s terms.

Our second option is to remove it from sale and write-off the stock. Why would we do that, you might ask? We would consider doing that, as we have done before, because the cost to have a single book classified for a single store is prohibitive – in this case, based on the number of pages, it is $560. The process could take several weeks, and there is no guarantee of The Board’s decision.

So, there you have our third option – to pay to have it classified ourselves. And we feel so incredibly passionate about being able to represent and champion this title in Australia that we paid the fee, and then waited.

While awaiting The Board’s classification decision we were buoyed by articles such as Jane Sullivan’s opinion piece on Gender Queer for the Sydney Morning Herald, lamenting the Americanisation of our approach to things we don’t like, to the conservative need to ban. As a bookstore, a place of many, varied ideas, we find book banning anathema. And, in this case, this is an award winning book, winner of the 2020 ALA Alex Award and a 2020 Stonewall Award Honor Book. The public libraries in the U.S. believe this books has outstanding merit for young adult readers and so do we. Gender Queer might not only offer some sense of being seen or not so alone to those questioning their gender identity, but could also teach empathy and understanding to those who have no concept of what it might mean. It is one of the most challenged and banned books in the U.S. right now, and the conservative challenge to it here in Australia should ring alarm bells and make us all more vigilant.

On 4th April when we received the Classification Certificate, stating that Gender Queer could be sold Unrestricted we were elated. This book means so much to so many of our staff – we were firmly invested in a positive outcome! And we commend and thank The Board for their thoughtful – and quick – determination.

So, here at Kino, we are pleased and proud to give Gender Queer: A Memoir pride of place on our shelves, and we hope that it can now find the audience it deserves without impediment.

And it might be about time we had another banned book promotion in store – we do hope you’ll be part of it!

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Appeal plans over classification of Gender Queer book over ‘paedophile drawings’

A controversial book subject to school bans in the USA for a paedophile drawing has been green lighted by Australian censors — but an Australian conservative blogger is calling for the decision to be overturned.

Clarissa Bye | April 20, 2023 – 12:54PM

One of America’s most banned books has been given the green light to remain in Australia’s libraries — but there are plans to launch an appeal against the decision.

The Australian Classification Board has just given an unrestricted rating to the graphic memoir Gender Queer, after complaints to police the book had not been classified despite sexual illustrations.

The controversial book, which has graphic illustrations of masturbation, oral sex and an Ancient Greek style paedophile encounter, has enraged conservatives in the US, where 49 school districts have banned it from libraries.

Conservative Australian blogger Bernard Gaynor said he would appeal a decision of the board last week to give the book an unrestricted rating along with a consumer advice rating of M — not recommended for readers under 15 years.

Gender Queer, by non-binary author Maia Kobabe, is already stocked by many public libraries across Australia.

Mr Gaynor said the book clearly depicted in its imagery a graphic drawing done in the style of an Ancient Greek pottery illustration, of a scene of pedophilic sexual activity between a man and his student, a minor under 18.

In its judgment, the classification board stated that: “The Board notes that on page 134 there is a highly-stylised drawing of a work of Ancient Greek art depicting a sexual encounter between an Ancient Greek scholar and his student.

“However, given the historical context of the artwork, the narrative context of the publication and the stylisation of the imagery, the Board is of the opinion that this image does not depict a child under 18 years in a way that offends against the standards of morality, decency and propriety generally accepted by reasonable adults to the extent that it should not be classified.”

University of South Australia senior lecturer and expert in child safety and pornography Dr Lesley-anne Ey said the image clearly depicted a child.

“The image in question portrays Ancient Greek art depicting a sexual encounter between an Ancient Greek scholar and his student, engaging in sexual activity with a child is illegal,” she said.

“The risk of allowing this image to remain in circulation in a book aimed at teenagers and young adults is that it normalises adult-child sexual relationships.”

Mr Gaynor called the pedophilic illustration was “horrific and highly disturbing” and said he intended to appeal the decision.

“Gender Queer is not a text on Ancient Greek art. Instead, it shows its author, Maia Kobabe, fantasising and masturbating to images of paedophilia,” he said.

“There is clearly a serious problem when books showing pictures of pedophilic fantasies appear on children’s shelves of public libraries across Australia.

“More broadly, this scandal shows that public libraries across Australia are refusing to submit books for classification before distributing them to the public, including children.

“I warn all parents to be aware that many thousands of comic-style picture books in public libraries aimed at minors contain sexually explicit material, including images of children engaged in sexual activity.” Equality Australia has been approached for comment.

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Porn book fight continues

Chris Manning | May 5, 2023

Conservative lobbyist Bernard Gaynor says he’s had a “partial win” in his efforts to remove alleged pornographic books from Logan libraries.

Earlier in the year, Mr Gaynor became aware of graphic novels on library shelves that contained depictions of bestiality and child pornography, one of which he said was in the children’s section.

He made complaints to Logan City Council and Logan police, who referred the books to the Australian Classification Board (RCA) for review.

Mr Gaynor even staged a protest outside the Council Administration Building in March.

At the beginning of April, the RCA classified one of the books, ‘Gender Queer: A Memoir’, as “unrestricted, with consumer advice of ‘M (Mature) – not recommended for readers under 15 years”.

He has since applied for an appeal to reclassify the book.

Almost month later, he received an update from Logan City Council CEO Darren Scott.

“Council… finalised an internal review of Gender Queer: A Memoir with reference to Council’s Library Collection Development Policy,” Mr Scott wrote.

“The outcome of the review is that Gender Queer: A Memoir is suitable to remain in Logan City Council Libraries’ collection and will be held in the Biography section of the Adult collection.”

Mr Scott said the books would be stamped with an advisory sticker to “assist library patrons in their collection selections”.

Mr Gaynor said it was a small win in the right direction, but it wasn’t enough.

“Logan City Council’s decision in relation to Gender Queer shows it accepts that it wrongly placed a book with controversial sexual content on shelves dedicated to teenagers and older children,” he said.

Mr Gaynor has also complained to the Office of Fair Trading (OFT).

OFT principal compliance officer, Elsie Dunphy, informed Mr Gaynor via email that OFT is investigating Logan City Council Libraries to “to determine whether there has been a breach of the Queensland Classification of Publications Act 1991”.

The books Mr Gaynor complained about were: ‘Gender Queer: A Memoir’ and ‘The Boys, Volume One’.

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Office of Fair Trading investigates pornographic books and comics at public libraries

Books and comics depicting sick sexual acts are being loaned to Queensland children in public libraries, with an investigation underway.

Greg Stolz | May 7, 2023 – 12:00AM

Pornographic books and comics depicting paedophile sex and bestiality are being loaned out to children in Queensland public libraries, sparking an Office of Fair Trading investigation.

The watchdog is investigating a complaint against Logan City Council about the controversial book Gender Queer: A Memoir which has been banned by many libraries in the US but is available in Brisbane and Logan libraries.

The investigation follows complaints from Logan-based former soldier turned conservative activist Bernard Gaynor, who says “hundreds if not thousands” of sexually explicit books and comics are being loaned out by Queensland public libraries.

Mr Gaynor lodged formal complaints with the council and OFT about Gender Queer – one of America’s most banned books – and comic book The Boys (Volume I).

Gender Queer, an award-winning memoir by non-binary cartoonist Maia Kobabe, contains graphic illustrations of masturbation, oral sex and an Ancient Greek-style paedophile encounter, has enraged conservatives in the US and banned by almost 50 school districts from libraries.

Mr Gaynor said he had initially complained to police about Gender Queer after discovering it was on the shelves of Logan libraries alongside children’s comic books.

But police told him they were powerless to act as the book had not been classified.

It was given an unrestricted rating by the Australian Classification Board last month, but Mr Gaynor has spent $10,000 to lodge an appeal.

The Logan City Council launched an internal review after complaints from Mr Gaynor but deemed it “suitable” to remain in its libraries, albeit in the “adult collection”, after the ACB gave it an unrestricted M (Mature) rating as “not recommended for readers under 15”.

In a letter to Mr Gaynor last month, the OFT confirmed it was investigating his complaint about whether books being loaned by the library were prohibited publications. The Boys (Volume 1) is the world’s most banned comic book.

The OFT noted the ACB had given Gender Queer an unrestricted rating but was making “further enquiries with (the) ACB” in relation to The Boys Volume I.

The Boys comics feature graphic sex illustrations including bestiality.

Under Queensland law, anyone advertising, selling or distributing prohibited publications face up to two years jail or an $86,000 fine.

Mr Gaynor said Brisbane City Council had pulled all six volumes of The Boys from its shelves after he complained to them.

He said thousands of books which had not been classified were being loaned out by libraries across Australia, with Japanese manga books “a particularly large problem”.

“I’m coming after councils, starting with Logan,” he said.

“I’m going to make their life an absolute misery and then I’m going to go after all the other councils.

“Books that depict children engaging in sexual activity, including with adults, are disgusting and obscene.

“Council libraries need a big clean-out.”

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