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Maricopa Local Demands ‘Code of Conduct’ for LGBTQ Literature
![A screenshot of Glennwilde resident Christine Belanger as she holds a copy of M.L. Webb's "The GayBCs" during a city council meeting on July 16, 2024. [City of Maricopa]](https://arizonanews.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Maricopa-Local-Demands-Code-of-Conduct-for-LGBTQ-Literature.jpg)
During a Maricopa City Council meeting on July 16, 2024, Glennwilde resident Christine Belanger voiced her concerns regarding specific library books available to Maricopa youth. Holding a copy of M.L. Webb’s “The GayBCs,” Belanger described the book as “a distraction from our children’s education.”
Belanger suggested that the city develop a “code of conduct” for library books, mirroring the code required for city employees. Although she claimed to work for the Maricopa Unified School District, an MUSD spokesperson confirmed that Belanger has not been employed by the district for the past seven years.
The books Belanger criticized, including Harry Woodgate’s “Grandad’s Pride” and M.L. Webb’s “The GayBCs,” carry LGBTQ messages. She pointed to specific illustrations in “Grandad’s Pride” as examples of content she found inappropriate. “It’s a distraction from our children’s education,” she reiterated, calling one book “really obscene.”
This was not Belanger’s first appearance before the council on this issue. She had previously brought similar complaints during a meeting on November 7, 2023, where she attempted to read from a congressional hearing transcript featuring a sexually explicit scene from a young adult book. In each instance, Belanger argued the books “do not promote character or confidence for our young children,” labeling them as “trash” and “disgusting.”
Belanger admitted to regularly checking out these books from the library to prevent youth access. Efforts to reach her for further comments were unsuccessful.
Former City Manager Rick Horst responded during one council meeting, emphasizing the importance of respecting the LGBTQ community as part of Maricopa. “They are a segment of the community who have different feelings and perspectives and they have to be respected as residents of our community as well,” Horst stated. “Frankly, these books are available, and people can choose or not choose what they want to read.”
According to the American Library Association, there were 4,240 unique attempts to censor books from schools and libraries in the United States last year, a 65% increase from the previous year.
Tags: #Maricopa #resident #code #conduct #LGBTQ #books
Categories: Education,Featured,Government,banned books,censorship,Christine Belanger,city council,city council meeting,LGBTQ,Maricopa Library,Maricopa Library and Cultural Center,Rick Horst
URL: /maricopa-resident-wants-code-of-conduct-for-lgbtq-books