LGBTQ groups have expressed outrage after ten children’s story books relating to same-sex parenting were effectively hidden from shelves in the city’s public libraries following a campaign by an anti-gay rights group.
The Family School Sexual Orientation Discrimination Ordinance Concern Group (Family School SODO) yesterday published a statement on their Facebook group, saying the Home Affairs Bureau (HAB) had granted the group’s request the remove the books after months of petitioning.
The books — including titles such as Daddy, Papa, and me; Mommy, Mama, and me; The Boy In The Dress; and Milly, Molly and Different Dads — have been moved to the “closed stacks” section, which means that people seeking to borrow them must contact the library directly.
In a campaign over several months, Family School SODO argued the titles promote “unethical homosexual messages.”
Their lobbying prompted the HAB to have them reviewed by the Collection Development Meeting, a group that oversees books in the city’s libraries and approves those suggested by the public, which then moved them to the closed stacks section.
The decision was made despite comments from the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) acknowledging that the books did not encourage or criticize same-sex marriage, advocate homosexuality, or involve inappropriate messages, reported Stand News.
Responding to inquiries by Stand News, the LCSD said they were committed to maintaining freedom of information and to developing a balanced and diverse collection of books under the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Public Library Declaration.
However, condemnation was swift with Ray Chan, Hong Kong’s first openly gay lawmaker, criticizing the authorities for buckling under the pressure of conservative groups.
In a statement published on Facebook, he said: “The LCSD said that the contents of the books were neutral, and did not advocate homosexuality or same-sex marriage, yet they still moved these books to closed stacks, what was the reason for this?!”
Gay rights advocacy group The BigLove Alliance also criticized the LCSD for giving into the “unjustified complaints from the moral Taliban” and that the move goes against UNESCO’s Public Library Declaration.
Responding to concerns that the move infringes upon freedom of expression and freedom of information, Family SODO convener Roger Wong* cited article 18 of the UN’s International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which says the government and the state should respect parents when it comes to the religious and moral education of their children.
Wong — the father of pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong — told Coconuts HK: “I think freedom of expression doesn’t mean you can make the government violate the human right covenant or the ICCPR.”
Citing article 18.3 of the ICCPR, Wong said: “There should be some limitations on the freedom of speech, because this is not a public place, this is a children’s library.”
He added: “If the parent has the willingness to let their child read the book, they can ask the people on demand and let the child get that or read the book with their child.”
The group also launched an online campaign against an initiative by HSBC to promote awareness of LGBT rights, which included the bank placing a pair of rainbow lions outside their main office.
*Update: This article was updated on June 25 to include comments from Family SODO chair Roger Wong.
