Gay Penguin book moved from library shelves

by Melissa Summers (Subscribe to Melissa Summers's posts) Mar 5th 2006 8:03AM

Categories: Media, Toys & Games, That's Entertainment

I've been loving this story of Tango the penguin and his two dads since I read about the little family at DaddyTypes almost a year ago. Two male penguins, Roy and Silo, are living in a committed relationship at the Central Park Zoo. Zookeepers notice the couple trying to incubate a rock and give them an abandoned egg to hatch between the two of them. Tango is born from this union.

The book has been moved from the children's fiction shelves at a Missouri public library after two parents expressed concerns about the book's homosexual overtones. A librarian at the library says the book has been moved to the non-fiction shelves to decrease the chances a reader would be "blindsided" by the story.

Hey, they're gay penguins and they incubated a baby, who was abandoned by its (apparently heterosexual) ~~mother~~ parents, together.

How absolutely horrifying.

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Comments (63)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)

Gina Sommers 3-05-2006 @ 8:16AM

sounds like a cute story.

Ms Sisyphus 3-05-2006 @ 8:53AM

I'm torn. As the person who wrote a lesbian fairytale for a University assignment, I'm offended by the closedmindedness. But, if the story is non-fiction, doesn't it belong in that section of the library?

Either way, thanks for brining this book to my attention. It'll answer some questions Diva Girl had while watching March of the Penguins.

Speaking of MotP, wouldn't the egg have been abandoned by a *male* heterosexual penguin?

Margaret 3-05-2006 @ 8:53AM

I wish people would get over themselves. I am sure there are more important things going on in their lives then to worry about a cute book.

Dolores 3-05-2006 @ 8:55AM

It doesn't surprise me at all at how far this homesexual thing wiill go. They (gays) have to put their hands on everything. They are shoving their ways down our throats.

Enough already

MelissaS 3-05-2006 @ 9:03AM

You're right, the egg was likely abandoned by a heterosexual couple.

But I still disagree that the book should have been moved, it's a children's story of an event. I've seen lots of stories about true life adventures illustrated for children in the children's section of the library.

In my opinion this was a decision based on people's fear. God forbid someone be 'blindsided' by the story of two loving penguins raising a child together.

MelissaS 3-05-2006 @ 9:04AM

Dolores I love your sarcastic take.

I hope it's sarcasm.

Laura 3-05-2006 @ 9:09AM

I love it, I love it, I LOVE IT!!! It sounds like a beautiful story!

When are we going to stop being so closeminded and quit dictating what's right or wrong? And why is it so wrong for children to read a book about a couple of penguins, for goodness sake? So they took care of an egg and baby that otherwise would have died. From the sounds of it, they were wonderful parents!

I have to say that I really respect the way the library handled it; rather than banning the book completely and getting rid of it to pacify those who chose to be offended, they moved it to another section of the library. If anybody comes into that library requesting that book, it will be available.

Laura 3-05-2006 @ 9:15AM

Dolores, when are you and others going to stop with the self-righteous balone and trying to shove this (straight thing) down the throats of others?

I may be straight, but in NO way am I narrow-minded. I will not raise my child to be so narrow-minded, either. We acknowledge other people's way of living and the different types of families, and celebrate that love. This world could use a little bit more love, rather than hate, don't you think?

chris 3-05-2006 @ 9:21AM

now now now, it is the willl of god that that chick either rot away into a stinking fetid goo, or be eaten by another bird or be eaten as 9it hatched since its mother obviously hated it, and abondoned it
death to the egg. Death Death Death. And THE LORD will find the whoring witch who abandoned the egg and smite her, sending her to the bowels of hell to burn away in a pit of flame and brimstone, only to be reborn again like the phoenix, then burn burn burn.

And noth the other male penguins must burn as well. Jesus would want them dead, churning in a sea of blood as sharks rend off their privates then gnaw off their wings, again to be reborn and suffer again for all of eternity.

ghee all this good christian imagray is making me rethink if any of the "peopel of the book",(Torah/Bible/Koran) are following "the way" or the way of satan. I would not orture my kids, and would forgive them most anything, but errrr all these groups seem to want punishment for everything.

But here is a clinker, if my kid does something wrong , it is up to me to wack th ecrap out of him/her, not the teacher or neighbor, even if the kids killed their geraniums, and every "GOD FEARING CHRISTIAN " would agree, so if so what gives them the right to punish or even admonish to the degree they do if a person is a homosexual, or has premaerital sex.

The concepts brought forth by all theree religions of "THE BOOK" are all twisted and out of sync with reality.

And here is a personal favorite.

If we are made in GODS Image, god is either a Hermasphodite, or is a female!!!1

Men do not give birth, women do, so god is female!

yikes

enough gasoline on the barnfire for today folks

madedja think madja think hahahahahaha

Ms Sisyphus 3-05-2006 @ 9:21AM

It doesn't surprise me at all at how far this homesexual thing wiill go. They (gays) have to put their hands on everything. They are shoving their ways down our throats.

Dolores, how is a true story about a couple of penguins shoving anything down your throat? You would perhaps prefer that instances like this are kept secret in order to continue to shove that homophobic "It's an abomination against Nature" crap down our throats? Or are you positing some conspiracy that somehow "made" the Penguins gay?

Enough already indeed.

Nessa 3-05-2006 @ 9:25AM

Dolores' comment struck me as so ridiculous, it didn't even occur to me that she might be serious. I assumed it was sarcasm. Dolores, prove me right.

That out of the way...

I think this is a great book based on a great true-life story. What's next? We need to kick the gay penguins out of the zoo to avoid "traumatizing" our impressionable youth? Personally, I believe that tolerance starts early and this is a great way to introduce it.

Mary 3-05-2006 @ 10:13AM

It is a gay-friendly tale; I'm not surprised some homophobic parents objected. I think it sounds perfectly lovely, and will hunt it out to read to my tots. (Good book number 4 this week, thanks to the blogworld!)

I found Chris's comment disturbing, however. (And Dolores', if it was for real. Like you, I thought it must be sarcasm.) When will we learn that we may not be hateful just because the other guy is hateful? Yes, some so-called Christians behave abominably in the name of their religion, as do members of any other faith on this planet, as do people who have no faith at all. Because people, all people, have the capacity for evil within them, no matter what their philosophical/ethical/religious background.

When we respond with hatefulness to hateful behaviour, we are just showing that we, too, are capable of evil, and we add to the evil already out there.

Homophobia is wrong. Thus this book is a good thing. People who are homophobic, for whatever reason, will be afraid of books like these, just as people were afraid when the printing press was invented, when the industrial revolution occurred, when women got the vote. But history moves along, things happen despite protests and fears, and we discover it's not what we feared.

We can talk about these things without frothing hatred, from whatever side of the debate.

Jenny 3-05-2006 @ 10:15AM

Well, I may have to buy the book on general principle (support the homosexual penguins ;)), but ultimately my daughter will learn that homosexuality is normal by meeting mommy's gay friends, not by reading a book which is really about ... penguins.

chris 3-05-2006 @ 10:20AM

Speaking as a gay man living with another gay man- I think this kind of literature is great and every public school and library should have a copy of this on the shelves. The next time we take OUR children (WE have three together) to the playground to play and a child asks one of our sons "where is your mommy?"-(the mothers know, but don't really know how to try to explain to their child in front of us)- I will recommend this book to the mother to help her explain the feeling of love between two people. Whether straight, bi-sexual, gay, pink, blue, orange, or even plaid- our children where brought up to share toys with, play with, and love everyone for who they are....even the closeminded and homophobic. Delores, I can only hope someday you find enough peace within yourself to respect the many different kinds of love that are out there. God bless, and thank you all for your time in reading this!

ann adams 3-05-2006 @ 10:26AM

Dolores will be pleased to learn that Silo has seen the light and moved in with female Scrappy, leaving poor Roy abandoned and bereft. Serves him right for enticing Silo with his evil ways.

Silo probably was sent to one of those wonderful camps to learn that he too could be straight. You know, the ones that treat unhappy teens like hardened criminals. Those camps.

Moving the book to another part of the library may seem like a reasonable compromise on the surface but it's still giving in to the hatred and bigotry of the extreme religious right.

Once it starts (actually it has already started), it will never end.

LYNN 3-05-2006 @ 10:27AM

I see no harm in children or anyone being exposed to love in this context. Children are not born homophobic, nor should they be made to be. This book should be a welcome addition to any child's library, whatever shelf it sits on. My own children are grown,but I look forward to reading it to my future grand childre. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.

Laura 3-05-2006 @ 10:38AM

Ann, I agree 100% that moving the book is not the ideal solution. But in looking at how many libraries would not have ordered it to begin with, or who would have gotten rid of the book under public pressure, I have to think this is a much better step. I certainly wish they would have left it in the children's section, because it deserves to be read, and shouldn't be viewed any differently than any other children's book in that regard.

I wish everybody would just calm down and live their life the way they see fit, and let others live theirs, WITHOUT judgement or slander. Maybe this next generation will grow up a bit more open, loving, and accepting.

And, for the record: All those who think reading a book will make their children gay really need a little more education. Seriously.

It sounds like such a cute book!!! I think I may get it for my daughter.

Bill McIntosh 3-05-2006 @ 10:50AM

As if two daddies was twice as good! Any problem with kids getting a mommy and a daddy?

Kids need natural relationships between their parents-not aberrations. Introducing homosexual themes is just more arrogant foolishness.

For those of you worried over social security we need big, healthy families that give way to many many grandchildren who go on to produce lots and lots of great grandchildren-all of whom add to the system as contributors. Brokeback mountain and odd penguin stories? No way-let's stop trying to promote the demographic collapse of our country.

Sandy 3-05-2006 @ 10:54AM

Note to Dolores: the libs and gays are fine with
you having an opinion as long as it agrees with
theirs.You are free to have your opinion, that is why
we live in America people. If homosexuality was good
enough for the Roman Empire,it's good enough for us.
Oh no wait a minute...I think the empire Fell!

MelissaS 3-05-2006 @ 11:03AM

I think you're all missing the real point here.

If your children read about gay penguins raising a baby together, they will grow up to be gay penguins.
--------------------------------------------------

And hey Bill, "Any problem with kids getting a mommy and a daddy?"

Did anyone say anything like that? No there's no problem with that and there's no problem with kids having one parent or two same sex parents or grandparents for parents whatever kind of parents who will love and care for them.

Don't be ridiculous.