Former presidential daughter Chelsea Clinton took some backlash going into the weekend for a Thursday tweet opposing bans of LGBTQ-themed books — some of which have concerned parents calling on school boards to enforce the boundary between literature and pornography.
Clinton started the furor by sharing an NBC News article that decried the recent push to “ban” a number of sexually explicit books from elementary and middle school libraries. Of the top 13 “most-challenged” books according to the American Library Association, seven had LGBTQ themes.
“Over 50% of the attempted book bans last year involved books with LGBTQ+ characters & themes. Books are a vital way that children, adolescents and adults learn about themselves and our world. Bans such as these are nothing but harmful,” she tweeted, quoting from the article.
Over 50% of the attempted book bans last year involved books with LGBTQ+ characters & themes. Books are a vital way that children, adolescents and adults learn about themselves and our world. Bans such as these are nothing but harmful: https://t.co/eblRSU7tZk
— Chelsea Clinton (@ChelseaClinton) April 27, 2023
But as critics quickly pointed out, many of the books were not being banned at all — they were simply being removed from school libraries based on the age range for which they were deemed appropriate. Others noted that at least some of the books that the article mentioned included graphic depictions and even literal illustrations of sex acts — and some included sex acts between minors.
“Chelsea Clinton has come out in favor of porn for kids,” The Babylon Bee CEO Seth Dillon tweeted in response, adding “‘Satan and I think kids should have access to porn.’ — Chelsea Clinton.”
Chelsea Clinton has come out in favor of porn for kids. https://t.co/lPvbCHeHLF
— Seth Dillon (@SethDillon) April 30, 2023
Chad Felix Green added, “The photo on the article you’re quoting features a book with explicit illustrations of sex acts, a book about incest, one a sex story about two 10 year old boys, one about a man raping and isolating a 12 year old girl, one about a teen girl who seduces a man who kidnaps her …”
The photo on the article you're quoting features a book with explicit illustrations of sex acts, a book about incest, one a sex story about two 10 year old boys, one about a man raping and isolating a 12 year old girl, one about a teen girl who seduces a man who kidnaps her…
— Chad Felix Greene (@chadfelixg) April 30, 2023
On several occasions, parents and even students have attended school board meetings and read aloud from some of the books in question — and at times, they have been asked to stop due to the “inappropriate” nature of the content.