Cleis Press Faces Censorship in Libraries

Brooklyn lawmaker Dov Hinkind protested the presence of adult literature in Brooklyn Public Library, arguing that minors would have access to materials that were not age appropriate. As shown in this ABC Eyewitness News clip on July 10th, Hinkind had received several complaints from his largely Orthodox Jewish constituency about the ready accessibility of adult titles in several branches of the Brooklyn libraries. Interestingly, the titles he chose to hold up as examples were all LGBT, including Ily Goyanes's Girls Who Score, Richard Labonte's Best Gay Erotica series, and Kathleen Warnock's Best Lesbian Erotica series. Whether or not this was an intentional choice, it seems to reveal an underlying concern about children being exposed to specifically gay and lesbian content. Hinkind wants these and other titles moved behind the counter at libraries.

In response, the Brooklyn library issued a statement that they actually do regulate the media that children are allowed to check out, so they will not be changing any policies. They assure the public that they follow the guidelines of the ALA (American Library Association), and stand in support of free access to materials. They stress that they already do ensure age restrictions on their adult content.

Cleis Press publishes provocative, intelligent books across genres. Whether literary fiction, human rights, mystery, romance, LGBTQ studies, pulp fiction, or memoir, you know that if it's outside the ordinary, it's Cleis Press.