Local Pastors, Upset Citizens Protest Pornography Near Children’s Section at Ohio Library

Hundreds of parents, pastors and other protesters are now speaking out against disturbing, graphic material in their local Ohio public library.

The public outcry in Ashland, Ohio, has escalated since two parents discovered what they considered to be “pornographic” books near the children’s section of the library. But the president of the library’s board of trustees said she didn’t think the book’s placement was such a big issue since only four people had brought up their concerns at the board’s June meeting.

Sandra Tunnell, the library board’s president, said removing the books from the library is censorship, according to Ashland Source.

The books include Puberty Is Gross but Also Really Awesome by Gina Loveless; Own Your Period by Chella Quint; Making a Baby: An Inclusive Guide to How Every Family Begins by Rachel Greener; Wonderful Women of the World by Laurie Halse Anderson; and This Is Our Rainbow: 16 Stories of Her, Him, Them, and Us edited by Katherine Locke and Nicole Melleby. (Ashland Public Library officials told Ashland Source that the library does not own a physical copy of This Is Our Rainbow.)

The Source noted the books have been moved to the library’s juvenile nonfiction stacks.

After the Ashland Public Library Board of Trustees showed resistance, 200 to 300 people, including 15 local pastors, showed up last week to the board’s July meeting to voice their concerns about the books, according to Frontlines Ohio. Due to the small size of the meeting room, it was standing room only for several citizens and 120 people had to stand outside.

Two of the four people who initially spoke out about the books in June were Christian pastors. And it turns out they also brought the books to the attention of the Ashland Ministerial Association (AMA), Frontlines Ohio reports. Now the AMA has joined the effort to get the books moved to other sections of the library.

Now the public backlash over the books is even drawing local and state officials, some of whom attended the July meeting. {eoa}

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