American Library Association Urged to Include Ex-Gay Books in Banned Books Week

CHICAGO, Oct. 6 /Christian Newswire/ -- In recognition of the goals of Banned Books Week by the American Library Association (ALA), Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays & Gays (PFOX) is requesting the ALA to include ex-gay books in its annual promotion of ALA's "celebration of the freedom to read" program.

"For several weeks, PFOX has attempted to secure a statement from the ALA opposing the censorship of ex-gay books," said Regina Griggs, executive director of PFOX. "According to Deborah Caldwell-Stone, director of the ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom, ALA policy recommends diversity in book collection development by libraries, regardless of partisan or doctrinal disapproval. However, Caldwell-Stone refuses to state whether that diversity policy includes ex-gay books."

"Books about leaving homosexuality are censored in most high school libraries, although gay affirming books for youth are readily available," said Griggs. "For example, Charlie Makela, supervisor of library services for Arlington County, Virginia public schools, rejected PFOX's donation of ex-gay books although she accepts books from gay groups. Ms. Makela is also the chair of the ALA's Supervisors' Section of the American Association of School Librarians. Shouldn't the ALA enforce its own diversity policy?" the rest